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HANSON BROCK 


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DOROTHY JANE 


<"£)')833 


COPYRIGHTED, 1921. 
BY 

HANSON BROCK 


GIFT 

MRS. S. A .THOMPSON 
SEPT. 27. 1940 




TO MARY LOCKWOOD PERRINE, WHO GAVE 
ME THE PRIVILEGE OF BROWSING AMONG THE 
FASCINATING PAGES OF HER BEAUTIFUL LIT- 
TLE JOURNAL, ‘THE TROPIC MAGAZINE,” TO MR. 
AGNEW WELSH, WHO SO GENEROUSLY OFFERED 
BITS FROM HIS SPLENDID “PAGES FROM PAST IN 
THE HISTORY OF FLORIDA,” PUBLISHED IN THE 
MIAMI METROPOLIS, AND TO MR. CHARLES T. 
SIMPSON, WHO ADDED TO PETER’S MENU AT 
SNAPPER CREEK, THE MUSHROOMS AND BI- 
VALVES, I AM VERY, VERY GRATEFUL AND AP- 
PRECIATIVE. 


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*1 





CHAPTER ONE. 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE DISCLOSES THE 
CHARM OF THE DIXIE HIGHWAY AND 
BRINGS CAROL TORREY AND BEV- 
ERLY BAISDEN TO MIAMI. 


IT WAS THE TENTH OF JANUARY, NINETEEN 
TWENTY TWO, AND NEW YORK LAY UNDER A 
GLEAMING BLANKET OF SNOW. THERE HAD 
BEEN AN ICE STORM, THE DAY BEFORE, AND 
EVERY LITTLE TWIG AND BOUGH SHONE LIKE 
SILVER DAGGERS, SCINTILLATING IN THE AF- 
TERNOON SUN THAT ALREADY BEGAN TO CAST 
ROSY SHADOWS, FOR IT WAS ALMOST FOUR 
O^CLOCK 

IT WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL, AND FAIRY-LIKE 
SCENE, BUT OH, SO BITTERLY COLD, AND THE ICY 
WIND PENETRATED EVEN THE HEAVY PLATE 
WINDOWS OF A ROOM WHERE LAY LOVELY BEV- 
ERLY BAISDEN POUTING IN A CHAISE LONGUE 
WITH HER AUNT CAROL TORREY, HER PHYSICIAN, 
AND HER FIANCE GATHERED ABOUT HER WITH 
ANXIOUS FACES. 

‘‘NO, I’M NOT GOING AWAY, AND THAT’S 
THAT”, SHE SAID WITH DETERMINATION. “IF 
I’M TO BE MARRIED IN FEBRUARY, I’VE MY TROU- 
SEAUING TO DO, ALL THIS MONTH. YOU’RE 
SUCH AN OLD DUCK TO FUSS OVER ME SO, DR. 
ALLISON, BUT JUST THE SAME YOU’RE AN OLD 
GRANNY, TOO, AND YOU WORRY JUST BECAUSE 
I’VE THAT LITTLE COUGH! I’LL BE GOOD! I’LL 
TAKE ALL THE MESSES YOU FIX UP, COUGH 


6 


SYRUPS, AND COD LIVER, AND RAW EGGS, TRULY 
I WILL!’^ 

‘‘MY CHILD, COUGH SYRUPS AND RAW EGGS 
ARE NOT LIVING-OUT-OF-DOORS IN THE WARM 
SUNSHINE. SUNLIGHT, OODLES OF IT BREATHED 
DOWN CLEAR TO YOUR TOES, EVERY MINUTE OF 
THE DAY, THAT^S WHAT YOU MUST HAVE, BE- 
FORE YOU GET WELL. STAY ON HERE IN THIS 
STEAM HEAT, AND— WELL*’— THE DOCTOR ROSE. 

“THERE’S BERMUDA AND CALIFORNIA NOT 
TOO FAR AWAY, I SUPPOSE,” SAID CAROL. 

NO, I DON’T WANT TO GO TO BERMUDA, OR 
CALIFORNIA EITHER, UNTIL BOBBY CAN GO TOO,” 
SAID BEVERLY. 

“LISTEN HONEY,” SAID ROBERT AINSLEY, 
HER BETROTHED, “I’VE FIVE IMPORTANT CASES 
ON THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AND TWO WEEKS OF 
HARD WORK AFTER THAT, BEFORE I CAN LEAVE 
NEW YORK. IF I COULD I’D GO ANY PLACE IN THE 
WORLD WITH YOU, TOMORROW, TONIGHT IF NEED 
BE, BUT A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY ISN’T EX- 
ACTLY HIS OWN MAN, YOU KNOW THAT, DOCTOR, 
BUT I’VE THOUGHT OF A PLAN THAT ISN’T SO 
VERY BAD, DEAR, ON THE WHOLE IT SEEMS 
PRETTY FRUITY TO ME. DO YOU REMEMBER 
THAT SIGN WE SAW THE OTHER DAY, DOWN 
TOWN, THAT SAYS, ‘IT’S JUNE IN MIAMI?’ WELL, 
MIAMI IS ONLY FORTY-ONE HOURS FROM NEW 
YORK. IF YOU WILL GO DOWN THERE WITH 
CAROL, I’LL RUN DOWN THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY, 
THEN WE’LL GO ON TO CALIFORNIA.” 

“BUT MY TROUSEAU,” WAILED BEVERLY, “I 
CAN’T BUY CLOTHES AWAY OFF DOWN AT THE 
END OF THE WORLD.” 

THE DOCTOR LAUGHED. HE KNEW HIS POINT 
WAS GAINED, AND AS HE WAS AN EXCEEDINGLY 
BUSY MAN HE SAID GOOD BYE AND DISAP- 
PEARED. HE HAD BROUGHT BEVERLY INTO THE 
WORLD, AND HAD LOOKED AFTER HER PHYSICAL 


6 


WELFARE EVER SINCE, AND LATELY HE HAD 
FELT MUCH WORRIED ABOUT THE GIRL, BUT NOW 
THAT SHE HAD AGREED TO OBEY HIM, HE WAS 
WELL PLEASED, AND SURE OF SATISFACTORY 
RESULTS. 

THE NEXT TWO DAYS WERE BUSY ONES FOR 
BEVERLY AND CAROL. THE HOUSE WHERE THEY 
LIVED ALONE, THE ONLY TWO LEFT OF THE OLD 
VIRGINIA TORREYS, WAS TO BE LEFT TO THE 
CARE OF OLD MAMMY, AND HER GRANDSON, THE 
BUTLER. 

SO THE EVENING OF THE TWELFTH FOUND 
TWO VERY TIRED PEOPLE SAYING THEIR FARE- 
WELLS TO THE FRIENDS WHO HAD COME TO THE 
TRAIN TO SEE THEM START AWAY. BOB HAD 
DRAWN BEVERLY TO ONE SIDE AND CAROL WAS 
SURROUNDED BY THE REST, ALL LAUGHING AND 
TALKING AT THE SAME TIME. 

‘‘CAROL, rVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MY 
FRIENDS TO MEET YOU IN JACKSONVILLE,^^ SAID 
ELLEN CARMICHAEL. “IWE WRITTEN TO THE 
ELLIOTS, AND THEY ARE SUCH LOVELY PEOPLE, 
THEYXL BE AT THE TRAIN, I KNOW. THEY KNOW 
FLORIDA FROM ONE BOUNDARY TO ANOTHER, 
AND YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A 
THING.’^ 

“THANK YOU A THOUSAND TIMES,” SAID 
CAROL, AND JUST THEN THE CONDUCTOR GAVE 
THE SIGNAL FOR ALL ABOARD, AND THERE 
WERE LAST HASTY WORDS OF FAREWELL, THEN 
THE TWO FOUND THEMSELVES ALONE IN THEIR 
COMPARTMENT, AND MOVING AWAY, THROUGH 
THE COLD WINTER NIGHT, TOWARD SOUTHERN 
SKIES AND SUNSHINE. PERHAPS BEVERLY FELT 
A BIT OF RESENTMENT TOWARD THOSE SAME 
SOUTHERN SKIES AND SUNSHINE AS SHE FELT 
TOWARD THE TROUBLESOME COUGH THAT HAD 
BETRAYED HER, AND BANISHED HER FROM HER 
BELOVED NEW YORK. FURTHER SOUTH THAN 
ASHEVILLE NEITHER SHE OR CAROL HAD EVER 


7 


BEEN, FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON, 
THOUGH THEY BOTH CLAIMED THE SOUTH AS 
THEIR ANCESTRAL HOME. 

THE TWO NIGHTS AND THE DAY OF THE JOUR- 
NEY WAS RATHER RESTFUL THAN OTHERWISE, 
THEN CAME AT LAST THE CALL ‘‘JACKSONVILLE,” 
AND THEY STEPPED OFF THE CAR TO FIND THEM- 
SELVES GREETED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY A 
CHARMING WOMAN, WHO SAID, AS SHE CLASPED 
THEIR HANDS: 

“FM EIUEN CARMICHAEL’S FRIEND, AND SO 
GLAD TO MEET YOU AS SHE ASKED, AND THIS IS 
PETER PRTMROSE,” SHE CONTINUED, INDICATING 
A TALL, BROWN-EYED MAN, WHO SMILED AND 
BOWED, “HE LIVES IN MIAMI.” 

PETER SENT THEIR BAGS ON WITH A PORTER, 
AND LED THE WAY OUT OF THE STATION TO 
WHERE A SHINING BLUE SEDAN STOOD WAIT- 
ING. THERE WAS A PENETRATING DAMP WIND 
WAFTED FROM THE ST. JOHN, AND BEVERLY 
SHIVERED A LITTLE AS SHE ENTERED THE CAR. 

“ARE YOU BOTH VERY TIRED?” ASKED MRS. 
ELLIOT. 

“BUT NO, WHY?” ANSWERED BEVERLY. 

“NOT TOO TIRED TO START ON A THREE HUN- 
DRED AND SIXTY MILE AUTOMOBILE TRIP AFTER 
LUNCH?” ASKED MRS. ELLIOT, SMILING. 

“FM SURE WE COULD,” SAID BEVERLY, “BUT 
HOW?” 

“BECAUSE PETER IS LEAVING FOR MIAMI THIS 
AFTERNOON, AND IT WILL BE A SPLENDID 
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO HAVE A LONG, WON- 
DERFUL DRIVE ALONG THE INDIAN RIVER. WE 
ARE HAVING WRETCHED WEATHER HERE NOW, 
AND YOU CAN DO JACKSONVILLE ON YOUR WAY 
HOME. ANYWAY, PETER WANTS COMPANY ON HIS 
WAY HOME, DON’T YOU, PETER?” ASKED MRS. 
ELLIOT. 

“THE ONLY THING, I SURELY HATE TO HURRY 
YOU ALL TOO MUCH, BUT I’VE AN IMPORTANT 


8 


ENGAGEMENT IN MIAMI DAY AFTER TOMORROW. 
IF YOU LIKE, WE CAN STAY THE NIGHT IN ST. 
AUGUSTINE, AND FLL GET YOU THERE IN TIME 
FOR YOU TO LOOK ABOUT A BIT THIS AFTERNOON. 
THAT IS, IF YOU CARE TO,’’ SAID PETER. 

BEVERLY CLAPPED HER HANDS WITH DE- 
LIGHT. SHE WAS ONLY A LITTLE GIRL, AFTER 
ALL, WITH HER TWENTY YEARS, YOU SEE. 

‘THAT’S THE VERY, VERY THING I’M CRAZY 
TO DO ! WHY, YOU LOVELY PEOPLE, TO THINK OF 
SUCH A DELIGHTFUL WAY OF GETTING US TO 
MIAMI ! I’VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THAT RIDE 
DOWN THE DIXIE HIGHWAY ALONG THE INDIAN 
RIVER THAT I’M ASHAMED NOT TO HAVE DONE 
IT.” 

SO THAT IS HOW, AFTER LUNCH AT THE 
INDIAN ROOM, BEVERLY BAISDEN AND CAROL 
TORREY FOUND THEMSELVES GLIDING ALONG 
OVER A MOSAIC RED AND GREEN RIBBON OF 
A ROAD WITH THE ST. JOHN PEEPING AT THEM 
FROM THE DISTANT RIGHT; AND, BETWEEN 
LOOKING AT TREES, NO LONGER BARE, AND THE 
RIVER, AND WATCHING PETER PRIMROSE’S UN- 
TIRING BUT HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVORS TO 
DRIVE WITHOUT RUNNING OVER THE INNOCENT 
BABIES OF NUMEROUS PIG MOTHERS ALONG THE 
ROAD, AND TO AVOID THE INQUIRING NOSES OF 
INTERESTED YOUNG CATTLE WHICH INSISTED 
UPON PEERING INTO THE SEDAN, BEVERLY 
FOUND THE DRIVE VERY DIVERTING, INDEED. 

IT WAS SCARCELY TWO O’CLOCK BEFORE THE 
FIRST HERALDING OF ST. AUGUSTINE CAME INTO 
SIGHT. CAME WIDE STREETS WITH MANY OLD- 
FASHIONED HOMEY-LOOKING HOUSES UNDER 
FRIENDLY OLD TREES BEFORE PETER PRIMROSE 
STOPPED THE SEDAN BESIDE THE OLD CITY 
GATES, AND POINTED OUT THE LOWERING, 
QUAINT FORT MARION, ACROSS AT THE LEFT. 

“EVERY ONE HAS THEIR PICTURE TAKEN 
HERE AT THE GATES,” SAID PETER, PRODUCING 


9 


A CAMERA, YOU MUST HAVE YOURS, TOO/’ 

AND AFTER THEY HAD POSED FOR HALF A 
DOZEN, PETER TOLD THEM THAT THOSE SAME 
OLD GATES WERE ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF A 
FORTIFICATION THAT ONCE RAN AROUND THE 
CITY. HE SAID THEY WERE BUILT IN SEVEN- 
TEEN FORTY-THREE, AND THAT IN THOSE DAYS 
EVERY CITIZEN MUST BE INSIDE THEM AT THE 
FIRING OF THE SUNSET GUN, ELSE CAMP OUT- 
SIDE FOR THE NIGHT. 

THEN THEY LEFT THE CAR AT A GARAGE, 
AND STROLLED ACROSS TO THE MOST INTEREST- 
ING RUIN IN ALL THIS NEW WORLD OF AMERICA. 
PETER TOLD THEM MUCH THAT HE KNEW OF THE 
GLOOMY, ROMANTIC PLACE WHERE . SPECTRES 
OF THOSE TERRIBLE DAYS-OF-LONG-AGO WALK 
HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE TOURIST-OF-TODAY. 
HE SAID THAT MENENDEZ BEGAN THE FORT IN 
FIFTEEN SIXTY-FIVE, CALLING IT SAN JUAN DE 
PTNOS. THEY WAIHED THROUGH THE ARCHES, 
COURTS, THE CHAPEL, AND OTHER CURIOUS AND 
FASCINATING ROOMS. 

THEN THEY DROVE ABOUT THE DEAR OLD 
TOWN WHERE EVERY TURN-OF-A-CORNER TAKES 
ONE INTO THE WITCHING LAND-OF-OLDEN-DAYS 
AND STORY-BOOK MEMORIES. 

THEN CAROL SAID SHE THOUGHT THAT BEV- 
ERLY HAD BEEN QUITE RAPTUROUS ENOUGH 
FOR ONE DAY, AND THAT SHE MUST REST FOR 
THE LONG DRIVE ON THE MORROW. AND BEV- 
ERTY WAS VERY MUCH OF THE SAME MIND, SO 
THERE WAS A RESTFUL NIGHT AT THE PONCE, 
WHERE ATX NIGHT AN ORANGE TREE BREATHED 
ITS FRAGRANT PERFUME STRAIGHT IN AT BEV- 
ERLY’S WINDOW. 

THROUGH MOSS HUNG FORESTS, ALL IN THE 
NEXT BRIGHT MORNING, ON AND DOWN, THEN A 
STRETCH ALONG THE SEA. THROUGH SHADOWED 
DAYTONA STREETS WHERE TREES ARE A JOY TO 
THE HEART, ALONG THE TRANQUIL HALIFAX, ON 


10 


THROUGH MILES OF FOREST ROADS, AND THEN 
CAME NEW SMYRNA, AND DRIVING BESIDE THE 
CANALS, PETER TOLD THEM OF ANDREW TURN- 
BULL, AND THE MINORCANS FROM THE MEDITER- 
RANEAN WHO BUILDED FOR HIM. HE DROVE TO 
THE OLD FORT, AND SHOWED THEM THE WELLS, 
AND SAID THEY WERE MADE IN SEVENTEEN 
SIXTY-EIGHT. THEN HE DROVE OVER TO THE 
OLD FRANCISCAN MISSION, WHICH HE SAID WAS 
BUILT IN FIFTEEN EIGHTY-SIX. 

ON THROUGH ORANGE SCENTED TOWNS WITH 
THE AIR GROWING MORE BALMY EACH MOMENT. 
THE SEDAN WAS QUITE OPEN, NOW, AND BEV- 
ERLY DREW LONG BREATHS OF SWEETNESS 
DOWN INTO HER ‘WERY TOES’^ AS PER ORDERS. 

THEN AS EVENING GAME ON, PETER DROVE 
INTO THE BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS OF RIVERCREST 
INN. HERE BEVERLY DRANK GLASSES OF THICK 
YELLOW CREAM, AND ATE DELICIOUS FISH THAT 
HAD MADE A FLEETING JOURNEY FROM THE IN- 
DIAN RIVER INTO THE RIVERCREST FRYING PAN, 
AND SHE LAY AND LOOKED IN ECSTACY WITH 
THE BEAUTY OF THE SCENE, THROUGH CLOUDS 
OF MOSS, OUT BEYOND THE WONDERFUL VISTA 
UNTIL SHE SLIPPED INTO DREAMLAND. 

‘‘SAVE ALL YOUR ADJECTIVES FOR MIAMI,^* 
LAUGHED PETER PRIMROSE THE NEXT MORNING 
AFTER THEY HAD STARTED ON THE LAST LAPSE 
OF THEIR JOURNEY. “YOU SEE I LEFT MY HEART 
IN MIAMI, AND PM ALWAYS REJOICING EVERY 
STEP OF THE WAY BACK. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE 
LIVED THERE AND WATCHED IT BEING MADE; 
THAT MAKES ONE A PART OF HIS TOWN, SEEING 
IT GROW STEP BY STEP.^^ 

BEVERLY FELT AS THE MORNING HOURS 
FLEW ALONG AS IF SHE WERE IN A LITTLE 
DREAM HEAVEN OF FLOWERS AND FRAGRANCES, 
OF SHINING WATER AND SINGING BIRDS, AND 
PALMS. 

AWAY ACROSS THE WATER THE FISH LEAPED 


11 


HIGH INTO THE SUNLIGHT, AND SLID AGAIN IN 
HOME. GULLS WERE SLYLY FLYING ABOVE WAIT- 
ING AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH THEIR BREAK- 
FAST OF THE SAME LEAPING FISH, AND THERE 
WERE WILD DUCKS, PELICANS, AND CRANES ALL 
FREE AND HAPPY IN THE GOLDEN MORNING. 

THEN THEY LEFT THE RIVER, SPED THROUGH 
MORE TOWNS, AND ALONG AVENUES OF OLEAN- 
DER TREES, AND THE AIR GREW ODOROUS WITH 
PINE AND MORE EXOTIC, AND HERE AND THERE 
IN THE DOOR YARDS BEVERLY NOTICED BLAZING 
LITTLE TREES OF SCARLET AND GOLD, GLOWING 
IN THE SUN. 

SCARLET HIBISCUS HEDGES MADE SAUCY 
RED MOUTHS AT HER, AND BEAUTIFUL LITTLE 
HOUSES, NO TWO ALIKE, SOME OF A GOLDEN 
BROWN ROCK, ALL NEW AS NEW, GREW CLOSER 
AND CLOSER TOGETHER. 

THEN SHE REALIZED THAT PETER PRIMROSE 
WAS SAYING THAT THIS WAS MIAMI, HIS COUL- 
OUR DE ROSE TOWN, AND THEY SPED ALONG A 
STREET THAT LAY CLOSE BESIDE A SHINING 
BAY, AND SO CAME AT LAST TO JOURNEY^S END. 


12 


CHAPTER TWO. 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE DISCOURSES ON THE 
CANAL, THE EVERGLADES, AND A 
NUMBER OF SUBJECTS. 


AFTER A FEW DAYS AT A LARGE HOTEL, 
BEVERLY AND CAROL CHOSE A MOST CHARMING 
APARTMENT IN A COURT THAT WAS SMOTHERED 
UNDER A GARLAND OF BOUGAINVILLAEA, ALL 
ABLOOM. HERE BEVERLY AT ONCE MADE 
FRIENDS WITH A CARDINAL, AND TWO MOCKING- 
BIRDS, WHICH PERCHED ABIDINGLY UPON HER 
LITTLE BALCONY, AND ATE WITH PRETTY AIRS 
OF GRACE THE CRUMBS SHE GAVE THEM. 

SOMETIMES THE BLUE JAY CAME AND DROVE 
THEM AWAY, WHILE HE ATE GREEDILY OF HER 
BOUNTY, BUT ALWAYS THEY FLUTTERED BACK 
AGAIN, AND ALWAYS THEY FOUND THEIR FEAST 
SPREAD, WAITING, FOR BEVERLY NEVER FOR- 
GOT. 

PETER PRIMROSE CAME SOON TO CALL, AND 
WHEN HE HAD SETTLED HIMSELF, MAN LIKE, 
INTO A CHAIR SO THAT ALL THE INACCESSIBLE 
PARTS OF HIS SPINE EXACTLY FITTED IT, BEV- 
ERLY ASKED, HOLDING OUT A SPRAY OF THE 
BLOOM: 

^TETER, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THIS 
FLOWER IS NAMED. SEE, IT LOOKS LIKE PAPER, 
DOESN’T IT?” 

EXPECT YOU THINK PM A WALKING ENCY- 
CLOPEDIA,” LAUGHED PETER, ‘‘AND A CENTURY, 
AT THAT, BUT FLL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT THAT 

13 


I CAN. THAT BOUGAINVILLAEA IS A NATIVE OF 
SOUTH AMERICA. THERE ARE FIVE SHADES OF 
IT: AMERICAN BEAUTY, THAT I THINK THE MOST 
BEAUTIFUL, WHITE, AND THREE SHADES OF THIS 
MAUVE. SOME PEOPLE DO CALL IT THE JAPAN- 
ESE PAPER FLOWER, AND IT GROWS AS FAR 
NORTH AS VIRGINIA, IF PROTECTED DURING THE 
WINTER. 

‘T THINK THAT IT, AS A RULE, CLASHES WITH 
MOST OF OUR FLOWERS AND SHRUBS, BUT THERE 
IS ONE LIGHT BLUE VINE THAT IT HARMONIZES 
WITH, AND THE CLUSTERS OF THE TWO ARE 
REALLY LOVELY, TOGETHER.” 

‘THANK YOU, PETER,” SAID BEVERLY. “AND 
CAROL AND I WISH TO KNOW JUST OODLES AND 
OODLES ABOUT MIAMI, HOW OLD IT IS, AND HOW 
COLD IT GETS HERE, AND HOW WARM, AND OH, 
JUST EVERY, EVERY THING THERE IS TO TELL, 
PLEASE.” 

“TALK UNTIL YOU ARE TIRED, FOR BEVERLY 
WANTS TO KNOW, DON’T YOU KNOW?” SAID 
CAROL. 

“SOMEWAY I NEVER GET TIRED TALKING 
ABOUT MIAMI, SO IF I GROW PROSY, PLEASE STOP 
ME. WELL, MIAMI IS JUST A LITTLE GIRL, COM- 
PARED WITH ST. AUGUSTINE, JUST A LITTLE 
GIRL IN PIG TAILS, AND SHORT DRESSES. 

“ONCE UPON A TIME IN EIGHTEEN NINETY- 
SIX, ON JULY TWENTY-EIGHTH, I WENT OVER TO 
THE CITY HALL TO HELP INCORPORATE OUR 
LITTLE TOWN. THERE WERE THREE HUNDRED 
AND TWELVE OF US VOTERS. AND THERE WERE 
ABOUT THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE, IN TOWN, AND 
A GREAT MANY INDIANS. ALL THIS WAS JUST 
HAMMOCK, THEN, AND LAND WAS VERY CHEAP. 
I BOUGHT LAND THEN FOR A FEW THOUSAND 
DOLLARS THAT IS NOW WORTH FIFTY AND PER- 
HAPS MORE. IT SEEMS A LONG TIME AGO. SOME- 
WAY I THINK THERE’S A SORT OF SPIRITUAL 
EXULTATION WHEN ONE BEGINS TO SEE A 


14 


LITTLE TOWN GROW, AND FEELS THAT ONE IS 
GROWING ALONG WITH IT. THATS ONE REASON 
I SEE MIAMI THE WAY I DO, IT’S BEEN A WON- 
DERFUL EXPERIENCE.” PETER SIGHED. 

^‘BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE, NOW, 
PETER?” ASKED BEVERLY. 

‘‘BY THE LAST CITY COUNT, THE DIRECTORY 
GIVES US OVER FORTY-SEVEN THOUSAND PEO- 
PLE, AND DURING THE SEASON, WE HAVE OVER 
TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND VISITORS. 
SOME OF US CITIZENS THINK MIAMI WILL GROW 
TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE NEXT TEN 
YEARS. SHE’S GOT TO SPREAD OUT A BIT TO AC- 
COMMODATE THEM, HASN’T SHE? WHEN ALL 
THE WINTER VISITORS ADD THEIR CARS TO OURS 
ON OUR LITTLE STREETS IT IS BRISK BUSINESS 
DRIVING ABOUT.” 

“OH, I WANT TO SEE THAT. I WANT TO DRIVE 
RIGHT IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE STREAM,” 
CRIED BEVERLY. “WHEN IS THE WORST, DO YOU 
PLAY A MEAN SATURDAY NIGHT?” 

“WAIT AND YOU SHALL SEE,” PROMISED 
PETER. 

“I WANT TO KNOW IF IT DOESN’T GET DREAD- 
FULLY HOT HERE?” ASKED CAROL. 

“OH, YES, IT MUST BE DREADFUL. I CAN JUST 
SEE THE PEOPLE LYING AROUND HAVING SUN- 
STROKES, PETER, NOW DON’T DENY IT,” SAID 
BEVERLY. 

PETER PRIMROSE LAUGHED SO THAT THE 
CARDINAL ON THE BALCONY FLEW AWAY IN A 
GREAT HURRY. 

“THAT’S JUST WHAT MOST NORTHERNERS DO 
THINK ABOUT OUR SUMMERS. ON THE CON- 
TRARY, WE NEVER HAVE A SUNSTROKE IN THE 
COUNTY. AND THAT’S THE TRUTH. THEY ARE 
ABSOLUTELY UNKNOWN HERE. OUR MAXIMUM 
TEMPERATURE IS ONLY EIGHTY-SIX. AND THE 
MINIMUM NIGHT TEMPERATURE ONLY SEVENTY- 
FIVE. OUR HOTTEST DAY LAST SUMMER WAS 


15 


ONLY EIGHTY-EIGHT, WHILE IN CHICAGO, AND 
TOLEDO IT WAS NINETY-TWO. AND BOSTON, 
WASHINGTON AND ST. LOUIS HAD A MAXIMUM 
TEMPERATURE OF NINETY-FOUR. IF YOU CAN 
JOIN THE BATHING SUIT PARADE ON A WARM 
SUMMER DAY AROUND FOUR OR FIVE, GO WAY 
UP THE BEACH WITH A JOLLY CROWD AND PLAY 
AROUND IN THE OCEAN TILL SIX, THEN BREW 
YOUR COFFEE, AND BROIL STEAK AND SIT 
AROUND UNTIL THE BIG MOON COMES SAUNTER- 
ING UP AWAY OVER THE WATER, AND YOU GET 
SO COLD YOU WANT TO SIT UP CLOSE TO THE 
FIRE, YOU’LL FIND YOURSELF PITYING YOUR 
POOR SWELTERING FRIENDS IN THE NORTH, AND 
WISH THEY COULD BE DOWN HERE WITH YOU. 
BUT PM GETTING GARRULOUS,” HE SAID, ‘^COME 
ON, LET’S GO SOMEWHERE.” 

‘‘LET’S GET RIGHT OUT IN THE SUN,” SAID 
PETER, A FEW MINUTES LATER, “IT’S A BIT COOL 
TO-DAY, SO I’LL SHOW YOU SOMETHING I’M ES- 
PECIALLY INTERESTED IN.” 

SO THEY DROVE OVER THE SOUTHSIDE 
BRIDGE, AND PETER POINTED OUT THE VAN COM- 
ING IN FROM JACKSONVILLE, AND HE SHOWED 
THEM ON THE LEFT THE DOCK OF FISHING 
SCHOONERS THAT PLY BETWEEN NASSAU AND 
AROUND THE KEYS. 

HE DROVE ON AND OUT EIGHTH STREET, BE- 
TWEEN ORANGE AND GRAPE-FRUIT GARDENS, 
PAST NEW SUB-DIVISIONS, AND ON UNTIL HE 
CAME TO A SHINING RIBBON OF WATER, THAT 
STRETCHED AWAY AS FAR AS THEY COULD SEE. 
GREAT MOUNDS OF EARTH WERE HEAPED ALONG 
IT, AND OVER ON THE LEFT TRACTS OF LAND 
WERE BEING NEWLY CULTIVATED, WHILE HERE 
AND THERE A LITTLE HAMMOCK STOOD ALOOF. 

“THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE TA-MIAMI 
CANAL,” SAID PETER, “AND THIS TRAIL IS BEING 
BUILT IN TO A HIGHWAY, THAT EXTENDS WEST 
ACROSS THE EVERGLADES TO FORT MYERS, AND 

16 


FROM THERE ON TO TAMPA. THIS WILL MAKE 
THE MOST COMPLETE LOOP OF A STATE EVER 
KNOWN. WHEN IT IS FINISHED, NEXT SUMMER, 
MOTORISTS CAN TRAVEL DOWN THE WAY WE 
CAME TO MIAMI, GO ON ACROSS THE STATE, AND 
TRAVEL UP THE OTHER COAST.” 

‘IT MUST HAVE COST A LOT OF MONEY TO 
BUILD THIS,” SAID CAROL, AS PETER DROVE FOR 
MILES ALONG THE CANAL. 

“ONLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THE EN- 
TERPRISE IS A MAGNIFICENT ONE, DRAINING 
THE EVERGLADES AND LAYING OUT TOWNS ALL 
ALONG IN A LAND THAT HAS 'ALWAYS BEEN 
ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO THE INDIANS. THERE ARE 
THREE MILLION ACRES OF EVERGLADES. THEY 
EXTEND FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE TO MIAMI, 
THEN WESTWARD TO THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE 
WORD ‘GLADE’ MEANS A NARROW STRIP OF 
GRASSY LAND BETWEEN FORESTS. A LARGE 
GLADE IS ‘ALL’ OR ‘EVER’ GLADE. 

“HERE AND THERE IN THE GLADES ARE 
ISLANDS OF HAMMOCK LAND, AND THOSE ARE 
THE HOMES OF THE INDIANS, AND WHERE THEY 
RAISE THEIR CROPS. THE SOIL IS VERY RICH. 
IT IS CALLED MUCK, UNDER THE MUCK IS MARL, 
UNDER THE MARL IS SAND, UNDER THE SAND IS 
LIMESTONE ROCK. THE EVERGLADE WATER IS 
HEAVILY CHARGED WITH LIME, AND WHEN DUR- 
ING A RAINY SEASON, THE WATER OVERFLOWS, 
THIS LIME IS DEPOSITED IN A FINE CONDITION 
ON THE SURFACE, AND THEN THERE ARE SHELLS 
OF MOLLUSKS, TOO, PLENTY OF WATER, FOR IRRI- 
GATION, AND WITH THE EVER PRESENT SUN- 
SHINE, AND GOOD TRANSPORTATION, HERE ARE 
CONDITIONS THAT CAN NOT BE EQUALLED. OVER 
THERE IS SOME OF THE FAMOUS SAW GRASS. IT 
IS A SEDGE, AND EVERY BLADE IS ARMED WITH 
SHARP TEETH. YOU OUGHT TO SEE IT UNDER A 
MICROSCOPE.” 

“I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE GRASS IN MIAMI 


17 


IS NOT LIKE OUR NORTHERN GRASS/^ SAID 
CAROL, “WHAT KIND IS IT?’’ 

“WE HAVE THREE KINDS OF GRASS,” SAID 
PETER, “THE ST. AUGUSTINE GRASS, ST, LUCIE, 
AND BERMUDA, AND THE BEAUTIFUL PINK 
GRASS YOU SEE SO MUCH OF IS CALLED NATAL 
GRASS. ALTHOUGH ALL OR NEARLY ALL OF OUR 
SURFACE IS ROCK IT IS SUCH POROUS ROCK THAT 
OUR TREES AND SHRUBS GROW ON IT WITH EASE, 
BECAUSE IT IS FULL OF POT-HOLES, WHICH HOLD 
MOISTURE. THIS MIAMI OOLITE CONTAINS BITS 
OF FOSSIL SHELLS AND TUBES, FORMED BY CRUS- 
TACEANS, AND IS MORE COMMON HERE THAN 
CORAL ROCK. IT MAKES BEAUTIFUL HOUSES, 
AND WALLS. THE HALCYON HOTEL, AND THE 
COURT-HOUSE ARE MADE FROM REEF ROCK, 
THAT HAS BEEN QUARRIED. 

“SOME DAY,” CONTINUED PETER, AS HE 
TURNED HIS CAR HOMEWARD, “I WILL DRIVE 
YOU OUT TO THE PENNSYLVANIA SUGAR COM- 
PANY’S PLANTATION. THEY HAVE BOUGHT ONE 
HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND ACRES OF 
EVERGLADE LAND, PART OF WHICH THEY HAVE 
PLANTED IN SUGAR CANE, AND THEY HAVE A 
SMALL EXPERIMENTAL MILL, AND HAVE AL- 
READY TURNED OUT SOME HIGH GRADE SUGAR, 
SO PERHAPS SOME DAY THIS WILL BE THE 
GREATEST INDUSTRY OF THE EVERGLADES. 

“THEN. TOO, WE MUST GO TO HI-A-LEAH, ONE 
OF OUR NEWEST TOWNS, WHERE THE BRIGHTS 
ARE RAISING CATTLE AND GOATS, AND HAVE, 
BESIDES, A GREAT MOVING PICTURE STUDIO, OR 
RATHER A NUMBER OF THEM. I FEAR I’M GET- 
TING CHILDISH, I SEEM TO LOVE THE SOUND OF 
MY OWN VOICE,” CONCLUDED PETER, AS HE 
DROVE THEM TO THEIR OWN DOOR. 

“WHY, PETER, YOU REALLY DO NOT KNOW 
HOW THRILLING IT ALL IS. I NEVER WAS SO 


18 


INTERESTED IN A TOWN, BEFORE, NOT EVEN 
NEW YORK,^’ SAID BEVERLY. 

“BUT PETER, YOU HAVE NOT TOLD US WHO 
NAMED MIAMI. IS IT AN INDIAN NAME?” ASKED 
CAROL. 

“YES, MIAMI IS DISTINCTLY AN INDIAN 
NAME, IT MEANS SWEET WATER. PEOPLE VERY 
WIDELY DIFFER ON THE NAMING OF THE TOWN. 
THE RIVER WAS NAMED GARBRAND, BY THE 
ENGLISH, MANY YEARS AGO, JUST AS THE ST. 
JOHNS RIVER AT JACKSONVILLE WAS NAMED 
THE MAY. THE CALOOSA INDIANS CALLED IT 
MAYAIMI, BUT THE BRICKELLS, WHOM I CON- 
SIDER AUTHORITY, BY REASON OF BEING EARLY 
SETTLERS HERE, ONCE TOLD ME THAT A YOUNG 
CIVIL ENGINEER CAME HERE IN THE SIXTIES, 
FROM OHIO, AND NAMED THE RIVER. IN OHIO 
THE NAME MIAMI IS VERY USUAL, FOR ONCE THE 
MIAMI INDIANS WERE CONSIDERED THE OWNERS 
OF THE ENTIRE WABASH COUNTRY AND WEST- 
ERN OHIO. THEY WERE CALLED MIAMIS BECAUSE 
THEY WALKED INSTEAD OF USING CANOES, AND 
THEY CALLED THEMSELVES TWIGHTWEES, THAT 
WORD BEING SUPPOSED TO BE AN IMITATION OF 
A CRANE^S CRY.” 

“IF I EVER OWN A SUB-DIVISION HERE,” SAID 
BEVERLY, “I SHALL NAME IT TWIGHTWEE.” 


19 


CHAPTER THREE. 


IN WHICH BEVERLY BAISDEN UNFOLDS TO 
ROBERT AINSLEY THE ENTICE- 
MENTS OF MIAMI 


MIAMI, FLORIDA, 

JANUARY THE EIGHTEENTH 

HERE I AM, BOBBY, YOU DEAR BELOVED, 
REALLY DOWN IN THE TROPIC ZONE, AND THE 
NATIVES HERE SAY THAT IF I GET SAND IN MY 
SHOES VLh NEVER GO AWAY. THAT IS WHAT 
THEY SAY ABOUT NILE WATER, YOU KNOW, AND 
AT TIMES THIS WATER IS AS GOLDEN AS NILE 
WATER, AND I AM SURE I NEVER WANT TO GO 
AWAY, DEAREST, SO I DRINK THE WATER, OFTEN, 
AND AS FOR SAND, I DON’T CARE IF MY SHOES 
ARE FULL OF IT. 

REALLY, HEAVEN BORN, THERE IS SO MUCH 
IN MIAMI THAT IS CHARMING AND DELIGHTFUL 
THAT ONE NEVER THINKS OF LIITLE THINGS, 
LIKE NILE WATER. YOU CAN TELL DOCTOR ALLI- 
SON THAT I TAKE SUCH LONG, DEEP BREATHS 
OF THIS BALMY SWEET AIR, THAT IF MY TOES 
WERE POROUS MY SHOES WOULDN’T STAY ON. 

EVERY DAY THAT CAROL AND I LOITER HERE 
BRINGS SOME NEW AND BEWITCHING DELIGHT, 
AND I CAN NO LONGER REMEMBER TO CROSS OFF 
THE DAYS ON THE CALENDAR YOU GAVE ME. 
THOUGH I DO WANT TO SEE YOU DREADFULLY, 
DEAREST. 

BOBBY, WE PAUSE AT EVERY ADORABLE 
SIGHT AND SOUND, CAROL AND 1. 

WHETHER IT BE A MOCKING-BIRD SINGING 


20 


HIS HEART AWAY TO HIS MATE ON A SEA-GRAPE 
TREE, ON THE BOULEVARD, ALONG THE BAY, OR 
A CARDINAL SWAYING FROM A GOLDEN CROTON 
BOUGH. 

PERHAPS YOU^D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT A 
CROTON IS. IT IS A NATIVE SHRUB OF THE 
BAHAMAS, BOBBY, AND I TELL YOU THAT SOLO- 
MON IN ALL HIS GLORY WAS NOT ARRAYED LIKE 
ONE OF THEM. GOLD AND CRIMSON AND YEL- 
LOW, AND SCARLET, AND GREEN, AND GOLD AND 
CRIMSON. A CROTON CAN ‘‘DAST’’ ALL LAST 
YEAR’S SUNSETS, ALL NEXT YEAR’S RAINBOWS, 
AND THE ROSE WINDOW, AND CAN LICK ’EM 
WITH BOTH HANDS TIED BEHIND HIM. THEY 
ARE THE JAZZ SONGS, AND THE IMPRESSIONIST 
PAINTINGS OF NATURE, AND THERE ARE FIVE 
HUNDRED VARIETIES OF THEM. 

FROM SOME OF THESE IS MADE CROTON OIL, 
AND OTHER MEDICINES. THEY CAN ONLY GROW 
IN TROPICAL CLIMATES, OR UNDER GLASS, AND 
I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE NONE IN CALI- 
FORNIA, AND ONLY VERY INFERIOR ONES IN 
HAWAII. SURELY NO MORE BEAUTIFUL ONE;^ 
THAN CAN BE SEEN ON BRICKELL AVENUE CAN 
BE FOUND ANYWHERE. ONCE YOU HAVE SEEN 
A CROTON GARDEN YOU CAN NEVER FORGET IT, 
AND SOMETIMES THEY EVEN. GROW INTO TALL 
TREES. BUT A VERY OLD CROTON MAY BE ONLY 
A FOOT HIGH, JUST A TINY DWARF OLD-MAN CRO- 
TON, AND IF HE IS CRIMSON WITH RAGE, AND 
HAS HIS TONGUE STUCK OUT AT ME, I KNOW HE 
IS ANGRY BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T GIVEN HIM 
SOME BLUE OR PURPLE LEAVES AND THAT HE 
IS GETTING CHILDISH. 

OH, I’M CRAZY ABOUT CROTONS, BOB, I’LL 
SAY I AM, AND DON’T YOU DARE TO LAUGH. 

THE SKY AND THE OCEAN ARE BLU3R THAN 
ALL MY JAZZ RECORDS ON THE SUBJECT. AND 
THE STARS SEEM SO NEAR. AND LAST NIGHT I 
TRIED TO SEARCH OUT THE SOUTHERN CROSS, 


21 


BUT A WHIP-POOR-WILL CLOSE BY DARED ME TO 
FIND HIM, INSTEAD. NOBODY I KNOW EVER HAS 
SEEN A WHIP-POOR-WILL, BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE 
HAVE SEEN THE SOUTHERN CROSS. 

YESTERDAY CAROL AND I STOOD AND LIS- 
TENED TO THE DEEP MUSICAL CHANTING OF A 
LONG LINE OF NASSAU DARKIES, WHO WERE 
DIGGING A TRENCH. THEY ALL KEPT TIME IN 
UNISON WITH THEIR PICKS, AND THEY SANG: 

‘‘OH LAWD, AH KNOWS YO’ MIGHT, 

AN’ ah; knows yo’ power. 

OH LAWD, EF YO’ COMES IN DE NIGHT, 
LEMME KNOW DAT HOUR.” 

BUT OLD MOSES WHO CARRIES AWAY PAPER 
FROM THE COURT SINGS: 

“SNAKE IN DE WHISKEY, 

FRAWG IN DE BEER, 

MAH OLE MAN DIED WID ER RAG IN HE 
YEAR, 

DE RAG BLEW OUT, AN’ DE WIN’ BLEW IN, 

AH GUESS AH’LL TEK TER DRINK ERGIN.” 

WHEN YOU COME, DEAREST, I’M GOING TO 
TAKE YOU OUT TO A LITTLE DUSKY PARK I’VE 
FOUND, IN SOUTHSIDE. HERE LIVE TREE-SNAILS. 
AND THEY ARE THE MOST FASCINATING THINGS. 
THEY CLING TO THE TRUNKS OF TREES, AND 
THEIR COLORING IS EXQUISITE, SUCH DELICATE 
MARKINGS. THEY ARE ONLY FOUND IN THE 
TROPICS, AND I HUNTED UP A LOT ABOUT THEM 
AT THE LIBRARY IN THE CHARLES SIMPSON 
BOOK, “IN LOWER FLORIDA WILDS.” I GATHER- 
ED A HANDFUL OF THE TREE-SNAILS AND 
BROUGHT THEM HOME, AND PUT THEM IN A TALL 
VASE IN MY ROOM, YESTERDAY, AND THIS 
MORNING THEY HAD CLIMBED OUT, AND WERE 
ALL ABOUT THE ROOM. SO I’M GOING TO TAKE 


22 


THEM BACK TO THE LITTLE JUNGLE PARK, AND 
THERE THEY WILL BE HAPPY AGAIN. 

CAROL WROTE TO YOU OF OUR WONDERFUL 
DRIVE DOWN HERE WITH PETER PRIMROSE. I 
HAVE FOUND OUT THAT HE IS FIFTY-TWO YEARS 
OLD, AND THAT HE ONCE HAD A SWEETHEART 
WHO DIED, AND HE SAYS THAT THERE HAS 
NEVER BEEN ANY ONE ELSE. ISN’T HE THE OLD 
FAITHFUL? I HOPE THAT IS THE WAY YOU WILL 
DO, IF YOUR SWEETIE SHOULD DIE, WOULD YOU? 

PETER PRIMROSE’S HAIR SHOWS BITS OF 
SILVER AMONG HIS HEAVY BLACK CURLS. HE IS 
TALL AND SLENDER, WITH MERRY BROWN EYES, 
AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VOICE I EVER HEARD. 
I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT 
HIM, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO KNOW JUST HEAPS 
AND OODLES ABOUT YOU. 

YESTERDAY HE DROVE AWAY UP THE BEACH, 
AND IT WAS SO WARM WE WORE OUR BATHING 
SUITS, SO WE COULD GATHER SOME SHELLS, FOR 
ONE HAS TO WADE OUT AFTER THEM, ABOUT 
FOUR FEET. 

SOME OF THE SHELLS ARE QUITE LARGE, 
AND SOME ARE PERFECTLY EXQUISITE, WITH 
SALMON -PINK LININGS. HARDLY ANY ONE 
KNOWS THAT THERE ARE SUCH LOVELY SHELLS 
TO BE FOUND HERE, AND I FOUND SOME BEAU- 
TIFUL CORAL, TOO. PETER KNOWS EVERY THING 
ABOUT EVERY THING. 

HERE THE LETTER MUST HAVE BEEN MEANT 
ONLY FOR ROBERT’S EYES, SO WE MUST NOT 
READ ANY FURTHER. 


23 


CHAPTER FOUR 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE DISCOURSES UPON 
OLD FORT DALLAS. 


‘TETER, I HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THE VERY 
LAP OF ROMANCE, AND NEVER KNEW IT,’* SAID 
BEVERLY, ONE GOLDEN DAY, “THIS MORNING I 
DISCOVERED THE OLD FORT, THAT YOU HAVE 
NEVER TOLD ME ONE THING ABOUT. YOU SHALL 
BE IN DISGRACE, MR. PRIMROSE, UNTIL YOU 
HAVE LAID BARE THE SECRETS ,OF THAT LONG, 
SQUAT, LITTLE BUILDING THAT I HAD TO FIND 
MY OWN SELF.” 

“I PLEAD GUILTY,” LAUGHED PETER, “BUT I 
WAS WAITING FOR THOSE BRIGHT EYES OF 
YOURS TO FIND IT. I TALK SO MUCH. IN FACT, 
I’M GETTING GARRULOUS, LIKE ALL OLD MEN.” 

“GARRULOUS, OH PETER, SAVE ONE YOU ARE 
THE FINEST MAN IN THE WORLD, MORE POWER 
TO YOU,” CRIED BEVERLY. 

“THEN FOR THAT, YOU SHALL HAVE AN IL- 
LUSTRATED LECTURE ON OLD FORT DALLAS, SO 
GET YOUR BONNETS AND SHAWLS, AND LET’S 
GO,” SAID PETER. SO THEN, PETER CARRYING A 
STEAMER RUG, THE THREE GOOD FRIENDS, LIKE 
TAFFY, THE LAIRD AND LITTLE BILLEE, SET OUT 
FOR JUST AROUND THE CORNER, THROUGH THE 
GATES OF FORT DALLAS, PAST THE JOHN ROBIN- 
SON HOUSE, BENEATH THE TREES, WHERE A 
MOCKING BIRD WHICH HAD HAD HER NEST IN 


24 


THAT ONE PLACE THERE FOR AT LEAST THREE 
SEASONS, WAS SINGING MADLY. 

CAME THEY AT ANOTHER STEP TO THE LIT- 
TLE OLD FORT, WHICH SHOULD BE SUNG IN 
STORY AND SONG, AND SET APART AS A PLACE 
OF LEGENDARY LORE, FOR ABOUT IT CLINGS THE 
WILDEST AND MOST ROMANTIC OF MIAMI TRA- 
DITIONS. 

PETER SPREAD THE RUG, AND THEY TURNED 
THEIR FACES TOWARD THE TINY BUILDING, SO 
OLD, AND SET IN THE MIDST OF A YOUNG TOWN, 
LIKE A GREY BEARDED GRAND PERE AT A KIN- 
DER GARTEN. 

‘^E FORT WAS BUILT,” BEGAN PETER, 
‘‘SOMETIME BETWEEN EIGHTEEN THIRTY-FOUR 
AND THIRTY-SIX. 

IT IS TOLD THAT OVER THREE HUNDRED 
YEARS AGO SOME ADVENTURERS FOLLOWING 
CLOSELY UPON THE FOOTSTEPS OF PONCE DE 
LEON VISITED BISCAYNE BAY, AND LANDED AT 
THE MOUTH OF THE MIAMI RIVER, AND THAT 
THEY FOUND THERE A GREAT INDIAN TOWN, 
WHICH WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE INDIAN 
CHIEF OF SOUTH FLORIDA. 

IN 1827 JAMES EGAN, WHOSE FATHER JOHN 
HAD BOUGHT THE LAND FROM SPAIN SOME 
YEARS BEFORE, PRESENTED TO THE UNITED 
STATES COMMISSIONERS AT ST. AUGUSTINE A 
CLAIM FOR 640 ACRES OF LAND ON THE NORTH 
SIDE OF MIAMI RIVER. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY 
THE ACT OF CONGRESS. BUT AFTERWARD HE 
SOLD THE LAND TO R. R. FITZPATRICK WHO HAD 
A NUMBER OF SLAVES, AND THE JUNGLE THAT 
IS NOW FORT DALLAS PARK WAS CLEARED, AND 
NICELY PLANTED WITH FRUIT AND TROPICAL 
TREES. THIS WAS IN THE THIRTIES, IN THIRTY- 
FIVE THE WAR BEGAN, AND FITZPATRICK HAD 
TO TAKE HIS SLAVES AWAY TO KEEP THEM FROM 
JOINING THE SEMINOLES, WHO WOULD HAVE 


25 


BEEN VERY GLAD TO HAVE HAD THEIR AID IN 
FIGHTING THE WHITE MEN. 

THIS, NO DOUBT, LEFT THE FITZPATRICK 
PLANTATION UNOCCUPIED, AND SO IT CAME IN 
VERY CONVENIENTLY FOR A SMALL BAND OF 
SAILORS WHO WERE SENT BY GENERAL SCOTT 
TO THE MOUTH OF THE MIAMI RIVER TO ELIMI- 
NATE THE SALE BY THE SPANIARDS OF ARMS 
AND AMMUNITION TO THE INDIANS. 

IT IS TOLD THAT THE GOVERNMENT PAID 
FITZPATRICK TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOL- 
LARS A YEAR FOR THE RENT OF HIS LAND, BUT 
EVEN IN THOSE DAYS TENANTS TOOK UNRIGHT- 
EOUS LIBERTIES WITH RENTED PROPERTY, FOR 
AS LATE AS 1877 WE FIND THAT THE HEIRS OF 
FITZPATRICK WERE PAID 12,000 DOLLARS FOR 
THE DAMAGE DONE THIS PROPERTY BY THE SOL- 
DIERS AND MORE LIKELY THE INDIANS. BUT IT 
IS TOLD THAT THE SOLDIERS CHOPPED DOWN 
THE FRUIT TREES BETWEEN THE FORT AND THE 
RIVER, SO AS TO BE ABLE TO SEE ANY APPROACH 
OF INDIAN CANOES QUITE CLEARLY. THEN, TOO, 
THEY CHOPPED THE LUMBER FOR THE STOCK- 
ADE AND OTHER BUILDINGS THEY ERECTED, AND 
GENERALLY SHOWED NO RESPECT FOR THE 
FRIENDLY TREES, EXACTLY THE WAY IT IS DONE 
NOW, THOUGH THAT WAS VERY NEARLY A HUN- 
DRED YEARS AGO. 

CAN YOU NOT IMAGINE THIS PLACE AS IT 
MUST HAVE BEEN IN THOSE DAYS? PLACES OF 
SOMBRE SHADOWS BENEATH THE THICK OAKS, 
HUNG WITH LONG GRAY MOSS, LIKE PHANTOM 
BECKONING ARMS SWAYING TO THE RYTHM OF 
THE MELANCHOLY SIGHS OF THE PALMS, THE 
MANGROVE TREES GROWING TO THE VERY 
BRINK OF THE LITTLE RIVER, UNCANNY AND 
GROTESQUE TO EYES UNUSED TO THE VAGARIES 
OF A TROPICAL GROWTH, AND THE FORESTS 
FILLED WITH HARSH, DISCORDANT CRIES OF 
WILD ANIMALS AND SEA BIRDS. HATEFUL 


2G 


GRUNTINGS AND BELLOWINGS AT NIGHT OF THE 
SEA COWS AND ALLIGATORS, AND MOST OF ALL 
TO TRY THE STOUT HEARTS OF THEM, THE EVER 
PRESENT DANGER OF THE BROWN, BARE, TER- 
RIBLE SAVAGES. INDEED, IT MUST HAVE SEEM- 
ED AT TIMES AN EVIL LAND TO THAT HANDFUL 
OF BRAVE SAILORS. 

THERE IS VERY LITTLE RECORD OF THIS 
FIRST OCCUPATION, AND IT IS NOT KNOWN HOW 
MANY OF THEM THERE WERE, NOR HOW LONG 
THEY STAYED, BUT WE KNOW THE COMPANY 
WAS COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT L. M. POWELL, 
ALL IN THE SUMMER OF 1836, AND IT WAS LIKELY 
THE LIEUTENANT WHO NAMED THE TINY STOCK- 
ADE. IT WAS NAMED FOR THE DISTINGUISHED 
FAMILY OF DALLAS, ONE OF WHOM WAS AT THAT 
TIME COMMODORE IN THE WEST INDIES, ONE 
OTHER OF WHOM HAD BEEN SECRETARY OF 
STATE, OF WAR, AND OF THE TREASURY, AN- 
OTHER, GEORGE M. DALLAS, WAS IN 1845 ELECT- 
ED VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, SO 
THE FORT IS WELL AND MOST HONOURABLY 
NAMED. 

IN EIGHTEEN THIRTY-EIGHT, IN JANUARY, 
THERE WAS A FIERCE RENEWAL OF INDIAN HOS- 
TILITIES, AND THEY HAD BEEN DRIVEN TOWARD 
THE EAST COAST, WHERE GENERAL JESSUP 
HOPED TO SURROUND AND CAPTURE THEM, SO 
HE SENT RE-INFORCEMENTS TO FORT DALLAS, 
UNDER CAPTAIN WEBSTER, WHO HAD FIFTY MEN 
IN HIS COMPANY, AND THEY ARRIVED IN FEB- 
RUARY. 

COLONEL JESSUP WROTE TO CAPTAIN WEB- 
STER, LATER IN THE YEAR, THAT THE POST AT 
FORT DALLAS WOULD BE KEPT UP, DURING THE 
COMING SUMMER, HE TOLD HIM TO MAKE HIS 
MEN AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT 
HE MIGHT SEND TO ST. AUGUSTINE FOR MOS- 
QUITO BARS, IF THE MOSQUITOS WERE VERY BAD, 
AND HE ALSO SAID THAT HE MIGHT HAVE HIS 


27 


MEN PLANT AN EXTENSIVE GARDEN. HE SEEM- 
ED ALSO TO SUPPOSE THAT BOATS COULD GO 
THROUGH THE EVERGLADES FROM THE MIAMI 
RIVER AND COME OUT INTO NEW RIVER AT FORT 
LAUDERDALE, WHERE HE EXPECTED TO ESTAB- 
LISH ANOTHER POST. 

BUT, FOR SOME REASON, WHEN APRIL CAME 
IT FOUND THE FORT HERE ABANDONED, AND IT 
WAS NOT AGAIN OCCUPIED UNTIL THE FOLLOW- 
ING JANUARY. THIS COMPANY CONSISTED OF 
THREE OFFICERS AND SEVENTY-SIX MEN, UN- 
HAPPILY ON THEIR WAY TO THE FORT, THE 
COMPANY WAS ATTACKED BY INDIANS, WHO LAY 
IN AMBUSH ON THE RIVER BANK, THE ENGAGE- 
MENT LASTED BUT AN HOUR, DURING WHICH 
CAPTAIN RUSSELL WAS SHOT AND INSTANTLY 
KILLED. 

THE FORT AT THIS TIME (1838) WAS DE- 
SCRIBED AS A ‘TWO-STORY BUILDING, 42x20 FEET 
LONG, WITHOUT ROOF, THE FIRST STORY WALLS 
OF A LONG STORE HOUSE, 95x17 FEET, AND ONE 
SMALL FRAME BUILDING, 30x19 FEET 

FROM NOW ON THE POST WAS ALMOST CON- 
TINUALLY OCCUPIED, BY ONE, AT TIMES TWO 
COMPANIES OF ARTILLERY, UNTIL 1842, WHEN 
THE GARRISON WAS WITHDRAWN, BUT AGAIN IN 
1849 IT WAS OCCUPIED BY COMPANIES OF FIRST 
AND SECOND ARTILLERY, COMPOSED OF SIX OF- 
FICERS AND SEVENTY-NINE MEN, WHO RE- 
MAINED A YEAR. 

THE LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT OCCUPA- 
TION DATES FROM JANUARY, 1855. AT THIS DATE 
THE INDIANS WERE CAUSING MUCH ANNOYANCE, 
AND THE WAR DEPARTMENT THOUGHT THAT IF 
SOME POINT ON THE EAST COAST AND OPPOSITE 
THE SOUTHERN EXTREMITY OF THE BAY WERE 
OCCUPIED BY TROOPS, IT WOULD BE AN OBSTA- 
CLE TO THE PASSAGE OF THE INDIANS TO POINTS 
NORTH, SO TWO COMPANIES WERE ORDERED TO 


28 


MOVE FROM FORTRESS MONROE, IN VIRGINIA, TO 
BISCAYNE BAY, AND VERY MEAGRE THE COM- 
PANY OF NEARLY TWO HUNDRED MEN FOUND 
THE BARRACKS. IMMEDIATELY THEY SET 
ABOUT TO CONSTRUCT MORE BUILDINGS, A HOS- 
PITAL, A KITCHEN, STABLES AND SHOPS, AND 
OTHER BUILDINGS WERE MADE, SOME OF THEM 
MADE OF THE NATIVE OOLITIC ROCK, AND AGAIN 
SOME OF THE LUMBER BROUGHT FROM ‘TWO 
MILES AWAY.’* 

ACTIVITIES SEEMED TO CONSIST OF SCOUT- 
ING THROUGH THE EVERGLADES, SO THAT THE 
INDIANS MIGHT KNOW THEY WERE UNDER SUR- 
VEILLANCE AND THAT THE SOLDIERS WERE NOT 
AFRAID OF THEM, AND FINALLY AT THE END OF 
THREE YEARS, THE INDIANS WERE REMOVED TO 
LANDS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, AND ON JUNE 
10th, 1858, THE POST WAS ABANDONED AND THE 
OWNERS AGAIN TOOK POSSESSION OF THE PROP- 
ERTY. 

IN MARCH, 1871, WE HEAR OF THE FORT AS 
BEING “RENTED TO TWO GENTLEMEN WHO HAVE 
A GRANT OF LAND FROM THE STATE, AND ARE 
AUTHORIZED TO ENCOURAGE THE COLONIZA- 
TION OF THE REGION.” IT IS AT THAT TIME DE- 
SCRIBED AS A MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOT, WITH ITS 
“RICH GROUPINGS OF ROYAL POINCIANAS, TALL 
COCONUTS AND OTHER TROPICAL FOLIAGE.” 

“THERE ARE STILL POINCIANAS, YOU SEE,” 
SAID CAROL, “AND THE COCONUTS ARE TALLER 
THAN ANY FVE NOTICED, PM SURE.” 

“IN EIGHTEEN SEVENTY-SEVEN MRS. JULIA 
A. TUTTLE BOUGHT ALL THIS GROUND, AND FOR 
SOME YEARS THE OLD FORT WAS JUST A TRAD- 
ING POST AND STORE, AND SINCE IT HAS BEEN 
USED AS A RESIDENCE.” 

“PERHAPS SOME DAY IT MAY COME INTO ITS 
OWN,” SAID CAROL, “AND RECEIVE THE HONOUR 
IT MERITS.” 

“I THINK THE CITY OUGHT TO BUY IT, AND 


29 


MAKE AN ART MUSEUM OF IT/’ CRIED BEVERLY. 

“THAT’S A SPLENDID THOUGHT,” HE AN- 
SWERED. “PERHAPS THEY WILL,” AND HE LOOK- 
ED DOWN AT THE TINY RIVER, THAT WAS AL- 
WAYS MURMURING, MURMURING SOME MYSTERI- 
OUS MESSAGE TO THE LITTLE GREY FORT, AS IT 
RAN AT ITS FEET. MUCH THEY HAD SEEN TO- 
GETHER, THE FORT AND THE RIVER. YES, THEY 
HAD SECRETS THAT THE LITTLE NEW TOWN 
COULD NEVER FIND OUT. 


30 


CHAPTER FIVE. 


IN WHICH WE VISIT PETER PRIMROSE. 


ONE EVENING BEVERLY AND CAROL WERE 
DRIVING IN THE MOONLIGHT, WHEN THERE CAME 
A WEE SHOWER, AND AFTER THEY WERE EN- 
CHANTED TO DISCOVER A RAIN-BOW, THAT LAY, 
CLEARLY AND BEAUTIFULLY ACROSS THE SKY. 

KNOW I^M JUST SEEING THINGS AT NIGHT,*^ 
CRIED BEVERLY, AS SHE COUNTED THE SEVEN 
COLOURS AGAIN AND AGAIN. “FOR THERE 
ARENT RAIN-BOWS AT NIGHT, SURELY. NOT 
REALLY TRULY RAIN-BOWS.^^ 

BUT THE ACTUALITY OF THE RAIN-BOW WAS 
ESTABLISHED NEXT MORNING, FOR THERE WAS 
AN ARTICLE IN THE HERALD THAT THE PHE- 
NOMENON HAD, INDEED, BEEN SEEN BY OTHERS, 
AND BEVERLY WAS DELIGHTED. 

EVERY DAY THE GIRL GREW STRONGER, AND 
SHE BATHED EVERY DAY IN THE SEA, AND 
AFTERWARD LAY FOR AN HOUR IN THE WARM, 
BROWN SAND. 

“PM SO GLAD,” SHE SIGHED, HAPPILY, HEAP- 
ING THE GOLDEN GRAINS ABOUT HER LIMBS, 
“THAT THIS SAND IS SO SOFTLY BROWN, AND NOT 
THE GLARING SNOW-WHITE SAND THAT WE 
NOTICED IN NORTHERN FLORIDA.” 

PETER FOUND A HORSE THAT EXACTLY 
PLEASED HER, AND OFTEN SHE COULD BE SEEN 
ON THE SPIRITED ANIMAL CANTERING GAYLY 
ALONG THE “BRIDLE PATH,” OR UNDER THE 
PINES THAT LED TO THE COLLINS ORCHARD. 

SHE FOUND, TOO> THAT HERE WERE SHOPS 
QUITE COMPARABLE TO NEW YORK SHOPS, AND 
TROUSEAUiNG EQUALLY INTERESTING AT THE 
“FOOT OF THE RAIN-BOW,” AS SHE CALLED IT, 

31 


DECLARING THAT HERE SHE HAD FOUND HER 
POT OF GOLD, HEAPED UP AND OVER-FLOWING, 
IN MIAMI. 

ONE DAY PETER TOOK THEM TO HIS HOME, 
IN THE HEART OF A CITRUS GARDEN, WHERE 
HIS LONG, LOW HOUSE OF NATURAL ROCK SAT AS 
IF INGRAINED ON THE VISTA OF SHINING, 
GOLDEN-FRUITED TREES. 

IT STOOD, AS HOUSES AMONG TREES SHOULD 
STAND, WITH NEVER A STEP TO ASCEND, AND 
LYING BACK IN A GREAT WICKER CHAIR, BEV- 
ERLY MIGHT GAZE STRAIGHT INTO THE HEART 
OF A TREE, AND LISTEN TO THE SOUL OF A BIRD 
POURED OUT IN MELODY. 

HERE WERE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS IN RARE 
BINDINGS ON PETER’S SHELVES, PAINTINGS AND 
ENGRAVINGS ON HIS WALLS, TAPESTRIES AND 
WONDERFUL RUGS FROM THE EAST. IN THE 
CENTER WAS A LITTLE COURT, WHERE THE 
WALLS WERE MADE OF SHINING, SOFTLY TINTED 
CORAL, THAT PETER, HIMSELF, HAD GATHERED 
FROM THE OCEAN. AND HERE A LITTLE FOUN- 
TAIN TINKLED AND CHIMED AND SCINTILLATED 
ALL THROUGH THE HOURS. 

HERE THEY MET PETER’S FRIENDS, JUDGES, 
EDITORS AND ARTISTS, BRILLIANT PEOPLE OF 
WHOM MIAMI IS PROUD, AND WHOM PETER 
LOVED. 

THE FIRST MORNING THAT THEY CAME TO 
PETER’S HOME, BEVERLY NOTICED, UNDER A 
SPREADING AVOCADO TREE, A VERY SLEEK AND 
SNOWY-WHITE MULE, A WONDERFUL RUSSIAN 
WOLF HOUND, EQUALLY SNOWY, AND TWO 
WHITE PEKIN DUCKS. THESE, PETER AN- 
NOUNCED, WERE HIS FOUR DISCIPLES. 

“THE DUCKS,” SAID PETER, WHIMSICALLY, 
“HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ON DOG BISCUIT, THAT 
ANNA, THE HOUND, DISDAINS, AND THEY BARK, 
CHASE LEGS, AND RUN CIRCLES AFTER THEIR 
TAILS. 


32 


^‘ANNA HAS SEEMINGLY IMBIBED THE QUAL- 
ITIES OF THE MULE, SHE BALKS AND HEE-HAWS. 
SHE HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY 
LIVING CREATURE IN MIAMI THAT HAS NO 
HORROR OF A SPEED-COP OR A TRAFFIC OFFICER. 

^‘IF I AM DOWN-TOWN AND HEAR A COMMO- 
TION OF BREAKS GRINDING, AND PEOPLE SWEAR- 
ING I KNOW AT ONCE THAT ANNA IS SITTING 
LIKE A MONUMENT IN THE EXACT CENTER OF 
THE BUSIEST SPOT ON FLAGLER STREET, FROM 
WHICH SHE HAS TO BE FORCIBLY DRAGGED, FOR 
IF THE TRAFFIC OFFICER TRIES TO CLUB HER 
SHE ONLY SHOWS HER TUSHES AT HIM, AND OF 
COURSE SHE IS KNOWN TO BE MINE, AND IT IS 
OBVIOUS THAT MY FRIENDS WILL NOT INJURE 
MY DOG. 

HAVE SEEN HER SITTING IN THE CENTER 
OF FLAGLER STREET BRIDGE CALMLY GAZING 
AT AN APPROACHING FIRE-ENGINE MAKING A 
HURRY CALL. WHEN I CHAIN ANNA SHE MAKES 
THE WELKIN RING, SHE HOWLS TO HEAVEN, AND 
FROM MILES AROUND MY NEIGHBORS SEND CON- 
SOLATORY MESSAGES HOPING ‘THAT MY TOOTH- 
ACHE WILL SOON BE BETTER,^^ OR “HOW ARE MY 
SLIDE TROMBONE LESSONS PROGRESSING?” 

“OFTEN ANNA DISAPPEARS, AND NOT LONG 
AGO A FRIEND WHO HAD JUST RETURNED FROM 
BIMINI SHOWED ME A SNAP-SHOT THAT HE HAD 
TAKEN OF ANNA SITTING ON THE CLUB-HOUSE 
STEPS, OVER THERE. THERE SHE WAS, WITH A 
SORT OF LET-GO, GIVEN-OVER, INEBRIOUS EX- 
PRESSION ON HER FACE.” 

“WHY, PETER, HOW COULD SHE EVER HAVE 
GOTTEN OVER THERE?” ASKED BEVERLY. 

“LORD LOVE YOU, CHILD, I DONT KNOW, ASK 
ANNA,” REPLIED PETER, “BUT FREQUENTLY, I 
HAVE SMELLED DICKER ON HER FUR, AND SHE 
HAS AN AIR OF ABANDON WHEN SHE GETS BACK 
HOME THAT SOMETIMES MAKES ME SUSPECT HER 
UNFIT TO BE IN COMPANY WITH OLD OB.” 


33 


^‘OB, IS THAT THE MULE?^’ ASKED CAROL. 

‘TES, AND I SUPPOSE YOU EXPECT ME TO 
TELL YOU THAT HE QUACKS AND GIVES FEATH- 
ERS FOR MY PILLOWS.’^ 

“BUT WHY DO YOU CALL HIM OB?^’ ASKED 
CAROL. 

“WELL, ISN’T THAT OBVIOUS?” REPLIED PE- 
TER, “HE’S OBSTINATE, OBESE, SOMETIMES OBE- 
DIENT AND OBLIGING, AND YOU OBSERVE THAT 
HE IS THE PRESENT OBJECT OF OBLOQUY.” 

“OH, PETER PRIMROSE,” CRIED BEVERLY, 
“REALLY, I DON’T WISH TO SEEM OBTUSE, BUT 
ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO BE FUNNY, OR HAS 
SOMETHING DREADFUL HAPPENED TO YOUR IN- 
SIDES? DO GO AND GET A DRINK OF WATER.” 

“OLD OB,” WENT ON PETER, “LOVES FRESH 
COCONUTS BETTER THAN ANY THING IN THE 
WORLD. AND HE KICKS THEM OPEN, SO ONE DAY 
A DARKY I, HAD WORKING OUT HERE PAINTED A 
ROCK TO EXACTLY RESEMBLE A COCONUT, AND 
POOR OLD OB NEARLY KICKED HIMSELF TO 
DEATH TRYING TO OPEN IT. HE HAD SORE FEET 
BEFORE I DISCOVERED THE SITUATION.” 

ANNA CAME SLOWLY FORWARD TO GREET 
THEM, WAVING HER BEAUTIFUL PLUMY BRUSH, 
AND BEVERLY DECLARED THAT IT WAS SO MUCH 
LIKE A GREAT WHITE OSTRICH FEATHER THAT IT 
WAS THE VERY THING WITH WHICH TO TRIM HER 
WEDDING HAT. 

ONE THING BEVERLY LOVED VERY MUCH TO 
DO WAS TO HAVE A BEACH SUPPER. SO ON WARM 
DAYS, AROUND FOUR, THEY WOULD DRIVE, 
DRESSED IN BATHING SUITS AND WARM COATS 
FAR UP THE COAST, WHERE SEA-GRAPE TREES, 
AND TALL COCONUTS GREW SO LUXURIANTLY, 
AND WHERE EXQUISITE YUCCA BLOOMS RISE BE- 
SIDE THE ROAD LIKE CANDELABRA BURNING 
BESIDE A SHRINE. 

WHEN, AT LAST, PETER WOULD DISCOVER, 
LYING ON THE BEACH A GREAT DRIFTED LOG, HE 


34 


WOULD STOP THE CAR, AND THEY WOULD ALL 
SEEK UP AND DOWN THE BEACH FOR DRIFT- 
WOOD, COCONUT FRONDS, AND BOXES, THEN 
PETER WOULD BUILD A GREAT, ROARING FIRE. 

THEN WHEN THEY CAME RUNNING IN OUT 
OF THE WHITE TIDE, HOW GOOD IT WAS TO LIE 
IN THE ROSY CIRCLE OF FIRE-LIGHT, AND COVER 
WITH THE WARM GOLDEN SAND, AND SO WATCH 
THE OCEAN TURN FROM CERULEAN TO COPPERY- 
GOLD, AS THE GREAT SUN BEGAN TO SLIDE 
SWIFTLY DOWN INTO THE WEST, AND SOFTLY 
ROLLING CLOUDS GATHERED INTO GORGEOUS 
PAGEANTRY. 

ALWAYS, THEN, BEVERLY, HALF DROWSY, 
DRIFTED INTO THE LAND-OF-DREAMS-COME- 
TRUE, BUT WHEN PETER PRIMROSE BEGAN TO 
BROIL STEAK, AND THE FRAGRANT AROMA OF 
HIS COFFEE CAME TO HER, AND HIS DELICIOUS 
DRAWL AS HE TOLD ONE OF HIS JOLLY STORIES 
SHE CAME QUICKLY BACK TO THE LAND-OF- 
EVERY-DAY. 

ONCE BEVERLY AND CAROL WENT DEEP-SEA 
FISHING, AND SAW THEIR FIRST GREAT SHARK 
HAULED IN, AND ALSO SAW A BEAUTIFULLY 
MARKED STING-RAY FLYING, RATHER THAN 
SWIMMING THROUGH THE WATER. THEY SAW 
THE FLYING FISHES, SHOOTING THROUGH THE 
AIR, BLUE AND SILVERY OF SHEEN, AND MANY 
OTHER WONDERFUL DENIZENS OF THE GREAT 
SEA. 

SOMETIMES BEVERLY FOUND HER WAY TO 
THE LITTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, IN SOUTH- 
SIDE. HERE SHE CAME, ARMS FILLED WITH 
TOYS AND THE THINGS THAT CHILDREN LOVE 
SO WELL, AND SPENT MANY HAPPY HOURS 
AMONG THE BABIES IN THE WARD. BEVERLY 
LOVED DEARLY EVERY CHILD SHE SAW, AND 
EVEN THE MESSENGER BOYS AND NEWS BOYS 
WERE PALS OF HERS. 


36 


CHAPTER SIX 


IN WHICH WE READ OF ROYAL PALM PARK. 


VERY STEALTHILY THE SUN CAME CREEPING 
ALONG ABOVE THE BAY, HE MEANT TO PLUNDER 
THE LITTLE BLADES OF GRASS OF THEIR SHIN- 
ING MORNING JEWELS, AND SO EARLY WAS IT, 
THAT, TOO, PERHAPS, HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE 
IN TIME TO CATCH THE LAST SWEET ECHOES OF 
THE PRYOR CONCERT THE NIGHT BEFORE. 

BUT, EARLY AS IT WAS, THE BLUE SEDAN 
STOOD WAITING BEFORE THE COURT, AND THE 
LITTLE YELLOW-EYED BOUGAINVILLEA FACES 
PEEPED CURIOUSLY FROM THE WALL, TO SEE 
WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT ALL THEY 
SAW WAS BEVERLY, CAROL AND PETER ENTER 
THE CAR, AND DRIVE RAPIDLY AROUND THE 
FIRST CORNER TOWARD THE SOUTH. 

ACROSS THE SOUTHSIDE BRIDGE, ALL IN THE 
DEWY BEAUTY OF THE MORNING, SPED THE 
BLUE SEDAN. THROUGH SLEEPY COCONUT 
GROVE, THROUGH PERRINE DOWN AND DOWN 
ALONG A BLACK VELVET RIBBON OF A ROAD, 
THROUGH FRAGRANT, SHADOWY PINE STRETCH- 
ES, PETER STEPPED ON THE GAS, AND SHOT THE 
CAR FORWARD AT A GREAT PACE. 

CAME FLORIDA CITY, AWAY DOWN AT THE 
VERY FOOT OF THE WHOLE UNITED STATES, 
WHERE THE RAILROAD BEGINS ITS PICTUR- 
ESQUE JOURNEY ACROSS THE KEYS, AND HERE 
PETER TURNED INTO A LITTLE ROAD THAT WAN- 
DERS SOUTH AND WEST TOWARD THE GLADES. 

NOW CAME A TRUE EXOTIC ATMOSPHERE, A 

36 


TROPICAL ALLURE. ALONG THE ROAD RAN RAC- 
ING WITH IT A LITTLE SLOUGH, FILLED WITH 
CAT-TAILS, BULL-RUSHES AND WATER LILIES. 
AND SHE COULD SEE CRANES AND DUCKS, TOO, 
AND ONCE DECLARED THAT SHE HAD DIS- 
COVERED A ’GATOR. 

BIRDS FLEW FROM BOUGH TO BOUGH, AND A 
MOTHER QUAIL PROUDLY LED HER BROOD 
ACROSS THE ROAD DIRECTLY BEFORE THE CAR. 

THEN AHEAD THEY SAW TALL ROYAL PALMS 
TOWERING ABOVE A HEAVY FOREST GROWTH, 
AND PETER TOLD THEM THEY WERE ALMOST AT 
JOURNEY’S END, AND WERE ON PARADISE KEY, 
AND FORTY MILES FROM MIAMI. 

‘WE ARE ON THE EXTREME SOUTHERN EDGE 
OF THE EVERGLADES, AND FLORIDA BAY IS JUST 
THIRTEEN MILES FROM HERE. SO NOW YOU ARE 
IN THE ONLY PARK OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD,” 
SAID PETER, “AN UNTRACKED, GLORIOUS JUN- 
GLE THAT IS A PLANT AND BIRD RESERVATION, 
AND BELONGS ENTIRELY TO THE FLORIDA FED- 
ERATION OF WOMAN’S CLUBS. THERE ARE MORE 
THAN THREE HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND IN THE 
TRACT.” 

THEN THEY CAME TO A FERNY AVENUE, UN- 
DER STRANGE TREES THAT EVEN CAROL COULD 
NOT CLASSIFY, AND SO CAME AT LAST TO THE 
SMALL LODGE, WHERE LIVES THE GUIDE. WITH 
HIM THEY TROD VERY SOFTLY INTO THE FOREST 
THAT THEY MIGHT SEE THE BIRDS AND LITTLE 
ANIMALS AT HOME. 

“I SHALL LOOK FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE, FOR 
GNOMES AND SLEEPING PRINCESSES,” SAID BEV- 
ERLY, “FOR THIS MUST BE THE ENCHANTED 
WOOD THAT I LOVED AND LOST WHEN I LEFT OFF 
BEING A LITTLE GIRL.” 

“NO,” CRIED CAROL, “IT IS THE FOREST OF 
ARDEN, AND WE SHALL SEE SWEET ROSALIND 
BEFORE WE’VE GONE FAR, WAIT AND SEE.” 

THE FERNS WERE SOME QUITE EIGHT FEET 


37 


HIGH, AND ALL ABOUT SANG THE BIRDS, CLEAR 
AND SWEET, AND THOUGH THE WOOD WAS 
DUSKY WITH SHADOWS, BUTTERFLIES FLOAT- 
ED EVERY WHERE. CREEP AND STALK AS BEST 
HE MIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE WOOD THE SUN 
CAN ONLY GET A VERY LITTLE BIT OF HIMSELF 
IN, SO THICK ARE THE GREAT TREES AND VINES. 

A TINY FLYING SQUIRREL LEAPED, FRIGHT- 
ENED, FROM TREE TO TREE, AND A RABBIT HID 
IN THE BUSH AT BEVERLY’S FEET, WHILE A 
GREAT LAND TURTLE CREPT SLOWLY ACROSS 
THEIR PATH. 

‘THIS MORNING,” SAID CAROL, “A CARDINAL, 
A MOCKING-BIRD AND A THRUSH ALL CAME TO 
THE VINE BY MY WINDOW. HOW MANY BIRDS 
HAVE YOU IN YOUR VINE?” 

“OVER THERE,” ANSWERED THE GUIDE, “I 
CAN SEE A RED START, THERE’S A RUBY- 
CROWNED KINGLET ON THE MARL-BERRY TREE, 
CAN YOU SEE HIM ? AND AWAY THROUGH THOSE 
VINES AND FERNS TO THE RIGHT IS A CRANE, 
AFTER A MOTH. SEE, THERE’S WATER CLOSE 
HERE. I CAN SEE A TANAGER STRAIGHT ABOVE 
US, TOO.” 

THE GUIDE LIFTED A BIT OF BARK AND 
SHOWED THEM A GREAT EMPEROR MOTH, WAIT- 
ING SLEEPILY FOR NIGHT TO COME. HERE WERE 
BUTTERFLIES OF GOLD AND BLACK, BRIGHT 
BLUE AND VIVID YELLOW. A SCARLET-HEADED 
LIZARD LAY ON A FALLEN LOG. 

“THE RED-HEADED ONES ARE OLD FEL- 
LOWS,” SAID THE GUIDE, “AND THE BLUE-TAILED 
ONES ARE THE YOUNG CHAPS.” 

“AREN’T THERE ALLIGATORS IN THE WOOD 
WATERS?” ASKED BEVERLY. 

“SOMETIMES WE HEAR ONE BELLOW,” ANS- 
WERED THE GUIDE.” 

“AND CROCODILES?” 

“NO, NOT THAT I KNOW OF.” 


88 


“DO THEY MAKE THEIR NESTS ALIKE?’’ 
ASKED CAROL. 

“NO,” ANSWERED PETER, “THE CROCODILE 
DIGS ITS NEST IN THE SAND, AND WHEN IT HAS 
PERHAPS LAID AS MANY AS SEVENTY-FIVE EGGS, 
WHICH IT ARRANGES IN NEAT LAYERS, IT COV- 
ERS THEM WITH SAND, WHILE AN ALLIGATOR 
PUTS A ROOF OF VEGETABLE DEPOSIT OVER ITS 
NEST, AND MAKES IT LOOK AS MUCH LIKE AN 
OLD RUBBISH HEAP AS POSSIBLE.” 

“THERE IS ANOTHER COUSIN OF THE ’GA- 
TOR’S,” SAID THE GUIDE, POINTING TO A LITTLE 
CHAMELEON, “SEE HIM TURNING FROM BROWN 
TO GREEN, SO AS TO HIDE FROM YOU ON THAT 
LEAF.” 

BEVERLY PICKED UP A QUEER-LOOKING 
BUNCH OF STICKS ALL NEATLY PUT TOGETHER. 

“LOOK, IT IS JUST LIKE A LITTLE LOG CABIN,” 
SHE SAID. 

“AND THAT IS THE NAME GIVEN TO THE 
WORM WHICH MADE IT FOR A NEST IN WHICH TO 
HATCH HER YOUNG,” SAID THE GUIDE. 

“I SHOULD SO LOVE TO SEE AN EGRET,” SAID 
CAROL. 

“ONCE THESE WOODS WERE FULL OF EGRETS, 
IBISES, ROSEATE SPOONBILLS AND SNOWY HER- 
ONS, BUT NOW THEY ARE ALMOST NEVER SEEN. 
THE HUNTERS AND INDIANS HAVE ALL BUT EX- 
TERMINATED THE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES. AND 
EVEN KILLED A GAME WARDEN WHO WAS TRY- 
ING TO PROTECT THEM,” SAID THE GUIDE. 

NOW THEY HAD PENTRATED QUITE INTO THE 
JUNGLE, AND ALL ABOUT THEM WAS ONE 
MIGHTY CHAOS OF ROOTS, FERNS, TREE TRUNKS, 
MOSS, PALMS, GIANT LIANAS, CREEPERS, 
STRANGLERS, PALMETTOS, ORCHIDS, PARASITES 
AND EPIPHYTES IN THE DUSKY, ALMOST PAGAN 
FOREST. 

“BRER ROBIN,” WHISPERED BEVERLY TO ONE 
39 


AS HE SAT ABOVE HER HEAD, ‘‘AIN’T YO’ FEARD 
SUMPIN ’LL GIT YO’?” 

“SEE THIS CABBAGE PALMETTO,” SAID THE 
GUIDE, “AREN’T THOSE SWORD FERNS HANGING 
ABOUT HER TRUNK BEAUTIFUL? SHE IS A SO- 
CIABLE OLD TREE. SHE HARBORS SNAKES, FROGS, 
LIZARDS, BUGS AND ANTS AND MANY OTHER 
LITTLE CREATURES AMONG HER BRANCHES AND 
LEAVES.” 

“BUT THE ROYAL PALMS ARE THE MOST 
BEAUTIFUL OF ALL THE TREES, HERE, AREN’T 
THEY?” 

“ISN’T THIS SATIN-WOOD TREE BEAUTIFUL, 
AND SEE THAT WILD TAMARIND, AND THAT IS A 
WHITE STOPPER. WE HAVE SOME MAGNIFICENT 
TREES IN THE PARK. BUT THERE ARE OVER TWO 
THOUSAND ROYAL PALMS, ALL SIZES, AND THEN 
WE HAVE SOME FINE OAKS HERE, ONE THAT 
MEASURES OVER TWO HUNDRED FEET ACROSS 
THE CROWN. SOMEWAY I LOVE THE OAKS THE 
BEST OF ALL MY TREES, BUT SO MANY OF THEM 
ARE STRANGLED UNDER THE VINES, LIKE THAT 
OLD FELLOW THERE,” HE POINTED, “YOU SEE 
HOW THAT STRANGLER HAS IT ALMOST COVERED 
IN A NETWORK OF CREEPERS? SOON THE TREE 
WILL BE COMPLETELY ENGULFED, THEN IT WILL 
DIE. THOSE VINES ARE STARTED ON THE TREES 
BY A SEED LEFT BY A BIRD, THEY SEND OUT 
LITTLE THREADS THAT TAKE ROOT AND GROW 
ON AND ON, TILL THE TREE GIVES UP ITS LIFE.” 

“WELL, IT IS THE OLD STORY OF THE SUR- 
VIVAL OF THE FITTEST,” SAID PETER. 

“NOT ALWAYS,” SAID THE GUIDE, “FOR WHAT 
IS MORE CONTRADICTORY THAN NATURE, ESPE- 
CIALLY IN A FOREST?” 

“WHAT IS THE VINE WITH THE GREAT ARMS 
AND ROPES?” 

“THAT IS THE GIANT LIANE. IT, TOO, STARTS 
FROM A TINY SEED, AND CLIMBS UP AND UP, UN- 
TIL THE TREE FALLS UNDER ITS GREAT WEIGHT. 


40 


ALL THE STRANGLERS ARE COUSINS OF THE 
MANGROVE AND BANYAN, AND RUBBER TREES.” 

THERE WAS HOLLY, HERE, ALMOST AS PRET- 
TY AS NORTHERN HOLLY, AND WITHOUT THORNS. 
BUT THERE WAS NO MISTLETOE, AND BEVERLY 
NOTICED THAT SHE HAD NEVER SEEN IN THE 
DADE COUNTY WATERS ANY OF THE FRAGILE 
WATER HYACINTHE BLOSSOMS AND WONDERED 
WHY IT WAS. 

^^DOESN’T FROST COME AND KILL ALL THESE 
LOVELY THINGS?” ASKED CAROL. 

‘‘NO,” ANSWERED THE GUIDE, “WE HAVE 
NEVER HAD A KILLING FROST HERE, IN THE 
PARK, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE HAD FROZEN TO- 
MATO FIELDS MORE THAN ONCE IN FLORIDA 
CITY. WEWE BEEN FORTUNATE SO FAR. WEWE 
GOT JACK FROST POSTED OUT OF THE PARK.” 
THEY HAD BEEN RETRACING THEIR STEPS FOR A 
LONG TIME, AND NOW THE PALE YELLOW SUN 
BEGAN TO SLANT THROUGH THE BRANCHES, A 
RED ADMIRAL FLOATED SAUCILY BEFORE THEM, 
AS IF TO WELCOME THEM OUT AGAIN, THE 
CLEARING APPEARED, AND SOON THEY SAT BE- 
NEATH A GREAT TREE AND ATE THEIR SAND- 
WICHES AND DRANK HOT COFFEE FROM THE 
THERMOS BOTTLE, AND LISTENED TO THE CA- 
DENCE THAT WENT EVER ON AND ON ABOUT 
THEM FROM MANY FEATHERED THROATS. 

THEN THEY WROTE THEIR NAMES IN THE 
VISITORS BOOK, SAW THE COLLECTION OF BUT- 
TERFLIES AND MOTHS, AND THE TINY GROUND- 
PEARLS, THAT ARE DEPOSITED IN THE PARK 
EARTH BY SOME SMALL CREATURE. 

“GOOD BYE, SINGING WOOD, I LOVE YOU,” 
CRIED BEVERLY. 

“A WOOD OF SORTS,” SAID PETER. 

BUT CAROL, THE PHILODENDRIST, ONLY 
SIGHED VERY HAPPILY. 

AS THE CAR TURNED HOMEWARD ALONG THE 
BROAD, BLACK VELVET RIBBON ROAD, THE SUN- 


41 


SET HUES WERE GATHERING, AND DEEPLY 
AGAINST THE SKY LAY THE DARK AND PURPLE 
ETCHINGS OF THE TALL PINES. 

WONDROUS, MYSTERIOUS THEY STREAMED 
ACROSS THE WORLD, FRAUGHT WITH FIGURA- 
TIVE BEAUTY THAT FILLED BEVERLY^S HEART 
WITH A LONGING TO SPEAK OF THEM IN WORDS 
THAT MIGHT BE POEMS, BUT ONLY HER EYES, 
AND SOUL, FILLED WITH THE LIGHT OF UNDER- 
STANDING, COULD SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF 
THESE DARK AND LOVELY TREES AGAINST THE 
SKY. 


42 


CHAPTER SEVEN 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE IMPARTS THE CON- 
TENTS OF AN OLD LETTER, IN THE SHADOW 
OF THE SPANISH LIGHTHOUSE 


BEVERLY AND CAROL AND PETER PRIMROSE 
SAT IN THE SHADE OF THE OLD SPANISH LIGHT- 
HOUSE. AND AS THEY ATE THEIR LUNCH THEY 
LOOKED VERY OFTEN UP AT THE LONELY OLD 
TOWER, AS IT STOOD LOOKING MOURNFULLY 
AWAY TOWARD THE SOUTH. 

“PERHAPS IT^S WATCHING FOR A SPANISH 
GALLEON OR A PIRATE SCHOONER, FOR IT SEEMS 
TO BE WAITING FOR SOMETHING,” SAID BEVERLY. 

“WHEN THE LIGHT-HOUSE WAS YOUNG THE 
WATERS IT GUARDED WERE AFLOAT WITH RO- 
MANCE,” ANSWERED PETER PRIMROSE, “RO- 
MANCE OF A DARK AND BLOODY SORT, FOR 
THESE SOUTHERN SEAS WERE PATROLED BY PI- 
RATES, WHO BURIED THEIR TREASURE AND 
GOLD ALONG THE SHORES AND ON THE LONELY 
KEYS.” 

“BUT, AFTER ALL,” SAID CAROL, “THE LIGHT- 
HOUSE ISNT VERY OLD, COMPARED WITH THE 
OLD FORT MARION, AND THE TURNBULL FORT 
AND CANAL.” 

“IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT NINETY-FIVE 
YEARS OLD,” ANSWERED PETER. “IT WAS OF- 
FICIALLY ABANDONED IN EIGHTEEN SEVENTY- 
EIGHT.’ 

“WAS IT REALLY EVER USED?” ASKED BEV- 
ERLY. 

“OH YES, INDEED,” REPLIED PETER PRIM- 


43 


ROSE, “IT WAS USED IN EIGHTEEN THIRTY-EIGHT, 
WHEN THIS CAPE WAS AN ARMY CAMP, AND THE 
CELEBRATED INDIAN FIGHTER, GENERAL HAR- 
NEY, WAS IN COMMAND. AT THAT TIME A CITY 
WAS LAID OUT HERE, AND LOTS WERE SOLD, BUT 
THEY WASHED AWAY. ONCE WHEN I WAS IN 
PHILADELPHIA, I SAW AN OLD ATLAS THAT WAS 
PUBLISHED IN 1850, THAT LOCATED A TOWN 
RIGHT ON THIS VERY SPOT.” 

OH, PETER, YOU ARE SO INTERESTING,” 
CRIED BEVERLY, “NOW READ THE LETTER YOU 
PROMISED TO READ.” 

THEN PETER READ ALOUD THE OLD LETTER: 

IN AN OLD, OLD COPY OF THE CHARLESTON 
(S. C.) COURIER A STRANGE AND DREADFUL LET- 
TER APPEARED ONE DAY, IT WAS HEADED: 

“THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE OF ONE OF 
THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPES FROM A 
DREADFUL DEATH ANYWHERE RECORDED IS 
CONTAINED IN A LETTER WRITTEN BY THE SUF- 
FERER TO THE EDITOR IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT 
HAPPENED. IT TOOK PLACE AT CAPE FLORIDA 
LIGHT-HOUSE JULY 23rd, 1836,” AND THE LETTER 
WAS AS FOLLOWS: 

“ON THE 23rd DAY OF JULY LAST ABOUT FOUR 
P. M., AS I WAS GOING FROM THE KITCHEN TO THE 
DWELLING HOUSE, I DISCOVERED A LARGE BODY 
OF INDIANS WITHIN TWENTY YARDS OF ME, BACK 
OF THE KITCHEN. 

I RAN FOR THE LIGHT-HOUSE, AND CALLED 
OUT TO THE OLD NEGRO MAN THAT WAS WITH 
ME TO RUN, FOR THE INDIANS WERE NEAR. AT 
THAT MOMENT THEY DISCHARGED A VOLLEY OF 
RIFLE BALLS WHICH CUT MY CLOTHES AND HAT, 
AND PERFORATED THE DOOR IN MANY PLACES. 
WE GOT IN, AND AS I WAS TURNING THE KEY, THE 
SAVAGES HAD HOLD OF THE DOOR. I STATIONED 
THE NEGRO AT THE DOOR, WITH ORDERS TO LET 
ME KNOW IF THEY ATTEMPTED TO BREAK IN I 
THEN TOOK ME THREE MUSKETS, WHICH WERE 


44 


LOADED WITH BALL AND BUCK-SHOT, AND WENT 
TO THE SECOND WINDOW. 

SEEING A LARGE BODY OF THEM OPPOSITE 
THE DWELLING HOUSE, I DISCHARGED MY MUS- 
KETS IN SUCCESSION AMONG THEM, WHICH PUT 
THEM IN SOME CONFUSION. THEY, THEN, FOR 
THE SECOND TIME, BEGAN THEIR HORRID YELLS, 
AND IN A MOMENT NO SASH OR GLASS WAS LEFT 
AT THE WINDOW, FOR THEY VENTED THEIR RAGE 
AT THAT SPOT. I FIRED AT THEM FROM SOME OF 
THE OTHER WINDOWS, AND FROM THE TOP OF 
THE HOUSE, IN FACT, I FIRED WHEN EVER I 
COULD GET AN INDIAN FOR A MARK. I KEPT 
THEM FROM THE HOUSE UNTIL DARK. 

THEY THEN POURED IN A HEAVY FIRE AT 
ALL THE WINDOWS AND LANTERN. THAT WAS 
THE TIME THEY SET FIRE TO THE DOOR AND 
WINDOW EVEN WITH THE GROUND. THE WIN- 
DOW WAS BOARDED UP WITH PLANK, AND 
FILLED WITH STONE WITHIN, BUT THE FLAMES 
SPREAD FAST, BEING FED WITH YELLOW PINE 
WOOD. THEIR BALLS HAD PERFORATED THE TIN 
TANKS OF OIL, CONSISTING OF TWO HUNDRED 
AND TWENTY-FIVE GALLONS. MY BEDDING, 
CLOTHING, AND IN FACT EVERY THING I HAD 
WAS SOAKED IN OIL. I STOPPED AT THE DOOR 
UNTIL DRIVEN AWAY BY THE FLAMES. I THEN 
TOOK A KEG OF GUNPOWDER, MY BALLS AND 
ONE MUSKET TO THE TOP OF THE HOUSE, THEN 
WENT BELOW, AND BEGAN TO CUT AWAY THE 
STAIRS ABOUT HALF WAY UP FROM THE BOTTOM. 
I HAD DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THIS OLD NEGRO 
UP THE SPACE I HAD ALREADY CUT, BUT THE 
FLAMES NOW DROVE ME FROM MY LABOR, AND 
I RETREATED TO THE TOP OF THE HOUSE. I COV- 
ERED OVER THE SCUTTLE THAT LEADS TO THE 
LANTERN WHICH KEPT THE FIRE FROM ME FOR 
SOME TIME. 

AT LAST THE AWFUL MOMENT ARRIVED, THE 
CRACKLING OF FLAMES BURNT AROUND ME, THE 


45 


SAVAGES AT THE SAME TIME BEGAN THEIR HEL- 
LISH YELLS. MY POOR OLD NEGRO LOOKED TO 
ME WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES, BUT COULD NOT 
SPEAK. WE WENT OUT OF THE LANTERN, AND 
LAY DOWN ON THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM, 
TWO FEET WIDE. THE LANTERN, NOW, WAS FULL 
OF FLAMES, AND LAMPS AND GLASSES BURST- 
ING AND FLYING IN ALL DIRECTIONS, MY CLOTH- 
ING WAS ON FIRE, AND TO MOVE FROM THE 
PLACE WHERE I WAS WOULD BE INSTANT DEATH 
FROM THEIR RIFLES. MY FLESH WAS ROASTING, 
AND TO PUT AN END TO MY HORRIBLE SUFFER- 
ING I GOT UP AND THREW THE KEG OF GUNPOW- 
DER DOWN THE SCUTTLE, INSTANTLY IT EX- 
PLODED AND SHOOK THE TOWER FROM THE TOP 
TO THE BOTTOM. IT HAD NOT THE DESIRED EF- 
FECT OF BLOWING ME INTO ETERNITY, BUT IT 
THREW DOWN THE STAIRS, AND ALL THE WOOD- 
ENWORK NEAR THE TOP OF THE HOUSE. IT 
DAMPED THE FIRE FOR A MOMENT, BUT IT SOON 
BLAZED AS FIERCE AS EVER. THE NEGRO MAN 
SAID HE WAS WOUNDED, WHICH WAS THE LAST 
WORD HE SPOKE. 

BY THIS TIME I HAD RECEIVED SOME 
WOUNDS, MYSELF, AND FINDING NO CHANCE 
FOR MY LIFE, FOR I WAS ROASTING ALIVE, I 
TOOK THE DETERMINATION TO JUMP OFF. I GOT 
UP, WENT OUTSIDE THE IRON RAILING, RECOM- 
MENDING MY SOUL TO GOD, AND WAS ON THE 
POINT OF GOING HEAD FOREMOST ON THE ROCKS 
BELOW, WHEN SOMETHING DICTATED TO ME TO 
RETURN AND LIE DOWN AGAIN. I DID SO, AND 
IN TWO MINUTES THE FIRE FELL TO THE BOT- 
TOM OF THE HOUSE. IT IS A REMARKABLE CIR- 
CUMSTANCE THAT NOT ONE BALL STRUCK ME 
WHEN I STOOD UP OUTSIDE THE RAILING, AL- 
THOUGH THEY WERE FLYING ALL AROUND ME 
LIKE HAILSTONES. 

I FOUND THE OLD NEGRO MAN DEAD, BEING 
SHOT IN SEVERAL PLACES, AND LITERALLY 


46 


ROASTED. A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE FIRE 
FELL, A STIFF BREEZE SPRUNG UP FROM THE 
SOUTHWARD, WHICH WAS A GREAT BLESSING 
TO ME. I HAD TO LIE WHERE I WAS, FOR I COULD 
NOT WALK, HAVING RECEIVED SIX RIFLE BALLS, 
THREE IN EACH FOOT. 

THE INDIANS, THINKING ME DEAD, LEFT THE 
LIGHT-HOUSE, AND SET FIRE TO THE DWELLING 
HOUSE, KITCHEN AND OTHER OUT-HOUSES, AND 
BEGAN TO CARRY THEIR PLUNDER TO THE 
BEACH. THEY TOOK ALL THE EMPTY BARRELS, 
THE DRAWERS OF THE BUREAUS, AND IN FACT, 
EVERY THING THAT WOULD ACT AS A VESSEL 
TO HOLD ANY THING. MY PROVISIONS WERE IN 
THE LIGHT-HOUSE, EXCEPT A BARREL OF FLOUR 
WHICH THEY TOOK OFF. 

THE NEXT MORNING THEY HAULED FROM 
THE LIGHT-HOUSE, BY MEANS OF A POLE, THE 
TIN THAT COMPOSED THE OIL TANKS, NO DOUBT 
TO MAKE GRATERS TO MANUFACTURE THE 
COONTY ROOT INTO WHAT WE CALL ARROW 
ROOT. AFTER LOADING MY LITTLE SLOOP, ABOUT 
TEN OF TWELVE WENT IN THAT, THE REST TOOK 
TO THE BEACH TO MEET AT THE OTHER END OF 
THE ISLAND. THIS HAPPENED, I JUDGE, ABOUT 
TEN A. M. 

MY EYES BEING MUCH AFFECTED PREVENT- 
ED ME FROM KNOWING THEIR ACTUAL FORCE, 
BUT I JUDGE THERE WERE FROM FORTY TO 
FIFTY, PERHAPS MORE. I WAS NOW ALMOST AS 
BAD OFF AS BEFORE, A BURNING FEVER ON ME, 
MY FEET SHOT TO PIECES, NO CLOTHES TO COVER 
ME, NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK, A HOT SUN 
OVER-HEAD, A DEAD MAN BY MY SIDE, NO 
FRIEND NEAR, OR ANY TO EXPECT, AND PLACED 
BETWEEN SEVENTY AND EIGHTY FEET FROM 
THE EARTH, AND NO CHANCE OF GETTING DOWN, 
MY SITUATION WAS TRULY HORRIBLE. 

ABOUT TWELVE O’CLOCK I THOUGHT I COULD 
PERCEIVE A VESSEL NOT FAR OFF, I TOOK A 


47 


PIECE OF THE OLD NEGRO’S TROUSERS, THAT 
HAD ESCAPED THE FLAMES BY BEING WET WITH 
BLOOD, AND MADE A SIGNAL. 

SOMETIME IN THE AFTERNOON I SAW TWO 
BOATS WITH MY SLOOP IN TOW COMING TO THE 
LANDING. I HAD NO DOUBT BUT THEY WERE 
INDIANS HAVING SEEN MY SIGNAL, AND HAD RE- 
TURNED TO FINISH THEIR MURDEROUS DESIGN, 
BUT IT PROVED TO BE BOATS OF THE UNITED 
STATES SCHOONER, MOTTO. CAPTAIN ARM- 
STRONG, WITH A DETACHMENT OF SEAMEN AND 
MARINES, UNDER THE COMMAND OF LIEUTEN- 
ANT LLOYD, OF THE SLOOP OF WAR CONCORD. 

THEY HAD RETAKEN MY SLOOP, AFTER THE 
INDIANS HAD STRIPPED HER OF HER SAILS AND 
RIGGING, AND EVERY THING IN CONSEQUENCE 
BELONGING TO IT. THEY INFORMED ME THEY 
HEARD MY EXPLOSION TWELVE MILES OFF, AND 
RAN DOWN TO MY ASSISTANCE, BUT DID NOT 
EXPECT TO FIND ME ALIVE. THOSE GENTLEMEN 
DID ALL IN THEIR POWER TO RELIEVE ME, BUT 
NIGHT COMING ON, THEY RETURNED ON BOARD 
THE MOTTO, AFTER ASSURING ME OF THEIR AS- 
SISTANCE IN THE MORNING. 

NEXT MORNING, MONDAY, JULY FIFTH, 
THREE BOATS LANDED, AMONG THEM CAPTAIN 
COLE, OF THE SCHOONER PEE DEE, FROM NEW 
YORK. THEY HAD MADE A KITE DURING THE 
NIGHT, TO GET A LINE TO ME, BUT WITHOUT EF- 
FECT. THEY FIRED TWINE FROM THEIR MUS- 
KETS, MADE FAST TO A RAMROD, WHICH I RE- 
CEIVED, AND HAULED UP A TAIL-BLOCK AND 
MADE FAST AROUND AN IRON STANCHION, ROVE 
THE TWINE THROUGH THE BLOCK, AND THEY 
BELOW, BY THAT MEANS, ROVE A TWO-INCH 
ROPE, AND HOISTED UP TWO MEN, WHO SOON 
LANDED ME TO TERRA FIRMA. 

I MUST STATE HERE THAT THE INDIANS HAD 
MADE A LADDER BY LASHING PIECES OF WOOD 
ACROSS THE LIGHTNING ROD, NEAR FORTY FEET 


48 


FROM THE GROUND AS IF TO HAVE MY SCALP, 
NOLENS, VOLENS. 

THIS HAPPENED ON THE FOURTH. AFTER I 
GOT ON BOARD THE MOTTO EVERY MAN FROM 
THE CAPTAIN TO THE COOK TRIED TO ALLEVI- 
ATE MY SUFFERINGS. ON THE SEVENTH I WAS 
RECEIVED IN THE MILITARY HOSPITAL THROUGH 
THE POLITENESS OF LIEUTENANT ALFORD, OF 
THE FOURTH REGIMENT OF THE UNITED STATES 
INFANTRY. HE HAS DONE EVERY THING TO 
MAKE MY SITUATION AS COMFORTABLE AS POS- 
SIBLE. 

I MUST NOT OMIT HERE TO RETURN MY 
THANKS TO THE CITIZENS OF KEY WEST, GEN- 
ERALLY, FOR THEIR SYMPATHY AND KIND OF- 
FERS OF ANY THING I WOULD WISH, THAT IT WAS 
IN THEIR POWER TO BESTOW. BEFORE I LEFT 
KEY WEST, TWO BALLS WERE EXTRACTED, AND 
ONE REMAINS IN MY RIGHT LEG, BUT SINCE I 
AM UNDER THE CARE OF DR. RAMSEY, WHO HAS 
PAID EVERY ATTENTION TO ME, HE WILL KNOW 
BEST WHETHER TO EXTRACT IT OR NOT. THESE 
LINES ARE WRITTEN TO LET MY FRIENDS KNOW 
I AM NOW IN CHARLESTON, S. C., WHERE EVERY 
ATTENTION IS PAID ME. ALTHOUGH A CRIPPLE 
I CAN EAT MY ALLOWANCE AND WALK ABOUT 
WITHOUT THE USE OF A CANE. 

RESPECTFULLY YOURS, 

JOHN W. B. THOMPSON. 

THEY HAD LISTENED VERY QUIETLY DURING 
THE READING, CASTING RATHER APPALLED 
GLANCES NOW AND THEN AT THE GRIM OLD 
TOWER, AND WHEN HE HAD READ TO THE END, 
BEVERLY SAID: 

‘‘NOW, CAROL, MAKE ME UP A RHYME ABOUT 
IT, THEN WE’LL GO. YOU DIDN’T KNOW CAROL 


49 


COULD MAKE TOMES^ DID YOU PETER PRIMROSE? 
SHE CAN. SHOW HIM, CAROL, DO YOUR DARN- 
DEST. 

CAROL THOUGHT A MOMENT, THEN SHE RE- 
CITED SLOWLY: 

“ONCE I POURED MY LIGHT ON THE WILD SEA 
TRACK, 

AND TURNED FULL MANY A GOOD SHIP BACK, 
AND THE THINGS I HAVE SEEN ARE MANY AND 
BOLD, 

BUT NOW PM JUST AN ECHO OF A TALE THAT IS 
TOLD 

OR AN OLD, OLD SONG THAT NO LONGER IS SUNG. 
I’M OLD AND BLIND, AND LEFT ALONE, 

JUST AN EMPTY OLD TOWER OF BRICK AND 
STONE, 

AND THE ONLY LIGHT THAT IS LEFT TO ME, 

IS MY MOON-PATH STRAIGHT ACROSS THE SEA, 
OR THE STARS THAT SHINE ON MY WINDOW 
PANES. 

AND I SAY, AGAIN, I AM BLIND AND OLD, 

LIKE AN ECHO, AM I, OF A TALE THAT IS TOLD. 

SO THEN THEY* WENT CHUGGING ACROSS THE 
BAY IN PETER’S GOOD LITTLE LAUNCH TO THE 
CITY-OF-DELIGHT. 


50 


CHAPTER EIGHT 


IN WHICH WE READ ANOTHER LETTER TO ROB- 
ERT AINSLEY, MAKING KNOWN THE 
WITCHERIES OF THE CAUSE- 
WAY AND AQUARIUM. 


DEAREST BOB: 

PLEASE DONT BUY THE TICKETS TO CALI- 
FORNIA, QUITE YET, FOR IWE A HUNCH WE MAY 
GO TO HABANA, INSTEAD, FROM HERE. ALL 
MIAMI BRIDES GO TO HABANA, AND THEY SAY IT 
WAS ORDAINED FOR WEDDING TRIPS FROM THE 
BEGINNING. ANY WAY, WE SHALL SEE WHAT 
WE SHALL SEE, HEAVEN BORN. 

BOBBY, THE MOST SPIFFY PROMENADE AND 
JUICIEST IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES IS 
MIAMI^S CAUSEWAY. I AM WILD ABOUT IT. 
AROUND FOUR, EVERY AFTERNOON, ALL THE 
BEAUTIFUL WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE TOWN 
SEEM TO APPEAR ON IT. THEY RIDE IN THE 
MOST ELEGANT CARS, GREAT LIMOUSINES, DASH- 
ING LITTLE ROADSTERS, SEDANS, CARS OF 
EVERY COLOUR AND SIZE, AND THE SCENE IS 
ONE OF GREAT FREEDOM AND GAIETY, FOR SOME 
OF THE GIRLS WEAR BATHING SUITS, AND THEN 
THERE’S THE FLASH OF WHITE ARMS, AND THE 
BRILLIANT BLUES AND GREENS AND CRIMSON 
OF THE SUITS, AND WONDERFUL HATS AND 
GOWNS AND THE LOVELIEST, FRESHEST- 
SKINNED GIRLS I EVER SAW, EVERY CAR SEEMS 


51 


TO HAVE SOME FACE LAUGHING OUT OF IT, MORE 
BEAUTIFUL THAN THE LAST. 

BUT HOW COULD IT ALL BE ANYTHING BUT 
GAY AND CHARMING WHEN THE SETTING OF THE 
SCENE IS SO EXQUISITE? 

THERE’S THE COLOURING OF THE BAY, MORE 
AND MORE GLORIOUS IN ITS BLUES AND 
GREENS, SHINING LIKE AN ORAL, AND ONLY 
WAITING FOR THE SETTING OF THE SUN TO TURN 
INTO A ROSE-RED, FAIRY STREAM, LIKE SOME 
DREAM-RIVER. 

AND THERE ARE THE GREEN ISLANDS, AND 
GREAT WOOLLY WHITE CLOUDS ROLLING 
THROUGH THE AZURE SKY, AND THE SAILS AWAY 
OUT IN THE BAY, WITH PERHAPS A BLACK HULK 
OF A STEAMER PLOWING ALONG, LIKE A MON- 
STER OF THE DEEP, AND AWAY OFF, THE POINT 
WHERE THE OLD LIGHT-HOUSE STANDS, BROOD- 
ING. AND THERE ARE THE GULLS, DIPPING IN 
AND OUT, AND THE PORPOISES TUMBLING AND 
ROMPING IN THE BAY, AND FISHERMEN CATCH- 
ING THEIR BREAKFASTS IN THE VERY MIDST OF 
SOCIETY, WHICH I CONSIDER FAUX PAS. PETER 
SAYS THAT THERE ARE OVER SIX HUNDRED VA- 
RIETIES OF FISH IN THE WATERS ABOUT MIAMI. 

I THINK THIS MUST BE THE MOST JOYOUS 
BEACH IN THE UNITED STATES, FOR THOUGH IT 
HAS NO CONEY ISLAND FEATURES. YET THERE 
IS A SPONTANEITY HERE, AN IMMUNITY THAT 
I HAVE NEVER QUITE SEEN ANY PLACE ELSE. 
BUT YOU SHALL SOON SEE IT ALL, DEAR HEART, 
AND THAT WILL BE MUCH BETTER THAN SEEING 
IT THROUGH THE EYES OF BEVERLY. 

THE CAUSEWAY IS QUITE NEW, NOT TWO 
YEARS OLD, AND THE ISLANDS, TOO, ARE 
SCARCELY THAT, YET ALREADY THEY HAVE A 
SPLENDID GROWTH OF AUSTRALIAN PINES, 
WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE MOST POPULAR TREE 
IN DADE COUNTY, AND IS A VERY RAPID GROW- 
ER. MORE OF THE ISLANDS ARE BEING RAPIDLY 


BUILT, SO THAT, IN TIME, NO DOUBT, THE EN- 
TIRE BAY WILL BECOME A VENICE THAT WILL 
BE NOVEL AND WONDERFUL. 

EVERY MIAMIAN IS SO PROUD OF THE NEW 
AQUARIUM, AND REALLY, IT IS SO RESTFUL, 
SO TRANQUIL, JUST LOITERING ABOUT THOSE 
COOL, DIM CORRIDORS. 

I THINK, BECAUSE THEY ARE TROPICAL FISH, 
THAT THESE ARE MORE BRILLIANTLY COLOURED 
THAN THE FISH IN THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM. 
THERE ARE WONDERFULLY TINTED ONES, AND 
FOR EVERY LUSTROUS BLUE AND ROSE AND 
LAVENDER FISH, THERE ARE ANEMONES, BLUE, 
ROSE AND LAVENDER TO DECORATE THE TANKS. 
AND IF I STARE AT THE FISH, THEY ARE QUITE 
AS RUDE, FOR THEY LOOK STRAIGHT BACK INTO 
MY EYES, WITH QUESTIONS IN THEIRS THAT I 
CAN NOT ANSWER. 

THE OCTOPI CAGE I ABHOR, WITH THOSE 
PITIABLE LITTLE CRABS, WAITING PATIENTLY 
FOR THOSE FIENDISH MOUTHS TO DEVOUR THEM 
AND I THINK I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH SATANIC 
EYES IN ANY LIVING CREATURE AS THE OCTO- 
PUS HAS. 

BUT THE GENTLE SEA COW I LOVE, WHICH 
QUITE SOUNDS STEVENSONIAN. THE INDIANS 
HAVE A LEGEND THAT SOMETIMES AT NIGHT, 
THE SEA COWS SING LOW, SWEET SONGS, TO THE 
ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE SIGHING RIVER. 
SHOULDNT I LOVE TO HEAR THEM? 

DO YOU REMEMBER THE “BIG FISH’’ THAT 
WE SAW IN ATLANTIC CITY? IT WEIGHED 30,000 
POUNDS, AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A CROSS 
BETWEEN A WHALE AND A SHARK. THAT FISH 
WAS CAUGHT NEAR HERE, AND THE SKULL OF 
ANOTHER HUGE SEA CREATURE IS ON EXHIBI- 
TION DOWN ON THE RIVER DOCK. 

IT WEIGHS THREE AND A HALF TONS, AND 
IS SIX FEET LONG, AND PETER PRIMROSE 
SAYS THAT THE MONSTER MUST HAVE BEEN 


63 


ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FEET LONG, AT 
LEAST, AND THAT IT MUST HAVE COME UP FROM 
THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. 

AND HE TOLD US THAT AT THE BEGINNING 
OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ANOTHER GREAT 
SKULL WAS FOUND NOT FAR FROM WHERE THIS 
ONE WAS DISCOVERED, AND IT WAS TAKEN TO 
ENGLAND AND EXAMINED BY SCIENTISTS, WHO 
FINALLY DECIDED THAT IT WAS A KIND OF 
SHARK. 

PETER THINKS THE SKULL FOUND LAST WIN- 
TER MUST BE THAT OF A GIGANTIC SEA COW. 
ALL THE GROUND UNDER IT IS SOAKED WITH 
OIL FROM IT, SO YOU SEE IT CAN NOT HAVE BEEN 
SEPARATED LONG FROM A LIVING BODY. 

YES, BOBBY, I LOVE THE BEACH, AND I CAN 
SCARCELY REALIZE THAT SO SHORTLY AGO IT 
WAS ONLY A MANGROVE JUNGLE, AND SOME- 
WAY I WANT TO TOUCH EVERY THING, LIKE 
PEOPLE DO FRESH PAINT, AND SEE IF IT COMES 
OFF, OR ELSE THUMP IT WITH MY FISTS AND SEE 
IF IT WILL VANISH, LIKE SOAP-BUBBLE MINA- 
RETS. (BUT HERE THE MOST INTERESTING PART 
OF HER LETTER JUST BEGAN, AND WE MUST 
LEAVE IT FOR THE EYES OF ROBERT AINSLEY, 
ALONE.) 


54 


CHAPTER NINE 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE DISCOURSES ON THE 
MANY UNUSUAL TYPES OF TREES AND 
FRUITS FOUND IN MIAMI, 


NOW CAROL TORREY WAS A TREE-WORSHIP- 
PER. SHE NEVER PASSED AN OLD GREY MON- 
ARCH OF A TREE WITHOUT PATTING HIM ON THE 
SHOULDER, AND PASSING THE TIME 0^ DAY WITH 
HIM, FOR SHE SAID TREES WERE HER DEAREST 
FRIENDS. 

IT HAD BEEN A GREAT SURPRISE TO HER TO 
FIND MIAMFS STREETS ALMOST BARREN OF 
THESE BEAUTIFUL THINGS, AND THE TREES AL- 
MOST EVERY ONE ‘TARD TREES.^^ 

SHE WONDERED MANY, MANY TIMES THAT 
WHEN NATURE WAS SO INFINITELY GENEROUS 
IN THIS WONDERFUL CLIME THAT EVERY STREET 
AND ROAD SHOULD NOT BE FRINGED WITH 
POINCIANAS, FICUS, SYCAMORES, LEBBEK AND 
EUCALYPTUS TREES. 

IF CAROL TORREY COULD HAVE BEEN IN- 
DUCED TO BECOME A SORT OF MUNICIPAL LAND- 
SCAPE GARDENER, MIAMI WOULD HAVE TRULY 
BECOME ‘‘PARADISE ENOW,^^ FOR EVERY WHERE 
SHE WOULD HAVE PLANTED HUNDREDS OF GLO- 
RIOUS SHADE TREES. 

SHE TOLD PETER PRIMROSE SOMETHING OF 
ALL THIS, ONE DAY, WHEN HE HAD BEEN SPEAK- 
ING OF THE DAYS WHEN MIAMI WAS A GREAT 
TROPICAL JUNGLE, AND HE AT ONCE SAID THAT 
HE MUST TAKE HER TO VISIT A HAMMOCK THAT 


55 


HE KNEW AND LOVED, THAT BELONGED TO A 
VERY CHARMING AND WISE FRIEND OF HIS. 

AND HE SAID, TOO, THAT HE WISHED THAT 
SHE AND BEVERLY MIGHT SEE MIAMI WHEN 
THE ROYAL POINCIANA WAS ALL ABLOOM IN 
MAY AND JUNE. HE SAID THAT THE TREE WAS 
LIKE SOME LIVING, BREATHING THING IN THE 
INTENSITY OF ITS BRILLIANCE, AND THAT THE 
VISION OF FLAMING SCARLET FLASHING PER- 
HAPS FIFTY FEET BROAD ABOVE THE HOUSE 
TOPS AGAINST THE AZURE OF THE SKY WAS SO 
GLORIOUS THAT IT COULD NEVER, ONCE SEEN, 
BE FORGOTTEN. 

CAROL SAID THAT SHE KNEW OF THIS GOR- 
GEOUS TREE. SHE TOLD HIM THAT IT IS A NA- 
TIVE OF EAST AFRICA, AND THE WEST INDIES, 
AND IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE ROYAL PEA- 
COCK TREE. SHE SAID THAT THERE ARE THREE 
SHADES OF THE BLOSSOMS; A CRIMSON AND TWO 
SHADES OF BRICK RED. 

SHE SAID THAT IT WAS NAMED FOR POINCI, 
ONCE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF THE WEST INDIES. 

SHE SPOKE, TOO, OF THE ROYAL PALM, THAT 
SEEMED TO HER TO TYPIFY VICTORY, WITH ITS 
NOBLE BEARING. 

THEN THERE WAS ITS BROTHER, THE COCO- 
NUT PALM. BEVERLY HAD OFTEN BEEN SEEN TO 
CAST ANXIOUS GLANCES UPWARD AS SHE SAT 
IN THE PARK, LISTENING TO THE GLORIOUS 
STRAINS OF SEMIRAMIDE, OR TANNHAUSER, FOR 
SHE SAID THAT HER HEAD, UNLIKE PETER’S, 
HAD NOT THE NATIVE HARDNESS THAT WOULD 
RENDER A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A COCO- 
NUT HARMLESS. 

SHE INQUIRED, WITH A SOLICITOUS AIR, IF 
THE CITY WOULD PAY DAMAGES IN CASE OF 
SUCH AN EVENT. 

PETER TOLD HER THAT THE HUMBLE COCO- 
NUT IS NOT TO BE DESPISED, THOUGH OFTEN SO 


66 


LOWLY IN ITS BEARING. HE SAID THAT IT WAS 
SURPASSINGLY FRIENDLY TO THE FLORIDA 
CRACKER, AND AS MUCH AT HOME, SHADING HIS 
SIMPLE HUT, THATCHED, PERHAPS, WITH ITS 
OWN FRONDS, AS WHEN SHELTERING MIAMI’S 
GUESTS IN THE PARK. 

HE SAID THE CRACKER USES ITS FRUIT FOR 
PIES, CAKES AND CANDY, FOR BUTTER AND 
CREAM, AND FOR FOOD FOR HIS ANIMALS. AND 
HE SHOWED HOW THE NATIVE OPENS THE HUSK 
BY THROWING IT WITH GREAT FORCE ON THE 
GROUND, AND THEN CRACKS THE NUT SHELL IN 
THE SAME MANNER, AND SO HAS BOTH FOOD 
AND DRINK SET BEFORE HIM. HE SHOWED THEM 
THE LOVELY SHADED FIBRE, TONED BY WIND 
AND SUN, TO SOFT BROWNS AND YELLOWS. 

THIS, HE SAID, WAS USED IN MIAMI, FOR 
BOOK COVERS, HATS AND BAGS. PETER SAID 
THAT FREQUENTLY HE BURIED COCONUTS, HUSK 
AND ALL, AND SOON A SPROUT WOULD SPRING 
FROM ONE OF THE THREE EYES, AND IN FIVE 
YEARS HE WOULD HAVE A BEARING TREE. 

PETER, YOU SEE, HAD THE SPLENDID TRAIT 
OF DIGGING TO THE SOURCE OF SUBJECTS HE 
LOVED, LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL. HE TAUGHT 
CAROL AND BEVERLY THEIR MIAMI THOROUGH- 
LY, BECAUSE HE LOVED THE TOWN SO WELL, 
AND HE KNEW OF SO MANY UNUSUAL AND WON- 
DERFUL THINGS OF WHICH ONLY THE TROPICAL 
COUNTRY CAN VAUNT. 

AND SO IT WAS HER UNUSUAL TYPES THAT 
HE LOVED BEST TO DISPLAY, AND HE TAUGHT 
THEM THE LORE OF MANY THINGS THAT MOST 
TOURISTS OVERLOOK OR PASS BY. 

HE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO EAT PAPAYAS, 
WITH A SEED FOR EVERY SPOONFUL OF THE 
COLD, DELICIOUS HEALTH-GIVING PULP. HE 
BROUGHT THEM SURINAM CHERRIES, LITTLE 
CRIMSON GLOBES OF DELIGHT; GOLDEN TI-ES 


57 


FRUIT, LIKE CUSTARD MOLDED IN LITTLE BALLS, 
AND SAPOTES, SAPODILLOS, ROSE APPLES, THAT 
HAD THE FLAVOR AND FRAGRANCE OF A ROSE, 
AND TANGELOS, AND SUGAR MELONS, AND SEED- 
LESS GRAPE FRUIT, AND GREAT PURPLE AVO- 
CADOS. 

HE SHOWED THEM THE CARRISSA HEDGES, 
WITH THE SCARLET FRUIT THAT MAKES SUCH 
DELICIOUS JELLY, AND HE BROUGHT THEM 
FRESH, SWEET COCONUTS, AND TAUGHT THEM 
TO DRINK THE MILK, AND HE TAUGHT THEM TO 
LIKE DASHEENS, AND COMPTIE PUDDING, AND 
PIGEON-PEA SOUP, AND COUNTLESS OTHER IN- 
TERESTING NATIVE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 

AND HE DID NOT FORGET TO TAKE THEM TO 
VISIT THE MARVELOUS HAMMOCK, SET LIKE A 
JEWEL ON THE SHORE OF BLUE WATER. CAROL, 
THE ARBORACEOUS, MARKED THIS DAY WITH A 
STAR. IT WAS A SMALL COPSE, BUT A WOODY, 
FRAGRANT PLACE NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN, 
AND THE OWNER OF IT WAS SO COURTLY, SO EV- 
IDENTLY DELIGHTED TO HAVE THEM THERE 
THAT ALWAYS AFTER HE HAD A LITTLE CORNER 
OF their hearts QUITE HIS OWN, AND THEY 
OFTEN SPOKE OF HIM WHEN THEY HAD RE- 
TURNED TO THEIR NORTH. 

THERE WAS A LITTLE WINDING TRAIL ALL 
THROUGH THE PLACID COOL WOOD, BEAUTI- 
FULLY CARVED SEATS HERE AND THERE AMONG 
THE TALL FERNS, SHADOWY FERN POOLS, 
WHERE GORGEOUS BUTTERFLIES POISED ABOVE 
THEM, BIRDS FLYING, UNAFRAID, FROM FLOWER 
AND FERN-DECKED TREES. 

HERE WERE GLORIOUS PATRICIAN ORCHIDS, 
OF WONDERFUL FORMS AND SHADES, AND SOME 
OF THESE EXQUISITE EPIPHYTES HAD BEEN 
BROUGHT FROM CUBA, AND TENDERLY FASTEN- 
ED TO BRANCHES IN THEIR NEW HOME WHERE 
THEY NOW THRIVED SO WELL. 

THERE ARE, PERHAPS, ABOUT SIXTEEN VA- 


58 


RIETIES OF ORCHIDS FOUND ABOUT MIAMI, BUT 
ALTOGETHER THERE ARE ABOUT FIVE THOUS- 
AND SPECIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE ONLY HERBS. 

ONE TINY DARK BLUE ORCHID PEEPED AT 
BEVERLY FROM A BRANCH AS SHE WANDERED 
BY, SHE THOUGHT IT RESEMBLED NOTHING SO 
MUCH AS A LITTLE OLD MAN WITH LONG, YEL- 
LOW WHISKERS. OTHERS WERE GROTESQUE, 
RESEMBLING ANIMAL FORMS, BUT EVERY ONE 
BREATHED ONLY THE SWEETEST FRAGRANCE 
FOR THE ENCHANTED GIRL. 

THEN THERE WERE THE TREES, SO RARE 
AND BEWILDERING TO NORTHERN EYES. .. PER- 
HAPS THE MOST CURIOUS OF ALL WAS THE CA- 
JEPUT, A NATIVE OF INDIA, THAT PETER DE- 
CLARED WAS THE BASIS FROM WHICH BEVER- 
LY^S FACE CREAM WAS MADE. 

THIS TREE’S BARK WAS SO PAPERY THAT PE- 
TER DROVE HIS PEN-KNIFE INTO IT ENTIRELY 
TO THE HILT. LIKE A GREAT GARLAND THAT 
MIGHT BE USED FOR ADORNING SOME HIGH 
ROOM, STOOD THIS LOVELY TREE. 

THEN THERE WAS THE TRAVELER’S TREE, 
WITH COOL, SWEET WATERS READY TO FLOW 
FOR A WEARY TRAVELER OF THE DESERT. THE 
CURIOUS SCREW-PINE, OF WHICH IT IS GIVEN 
THE MALE TO BEAR SNOWY FLOWERS, AT TIMES, 
THAT ITS MATE, CLOSE BY, MAY ENVY, HER OWN 
BRANCHES BEING QUITE BARREN OF BLOOM. 

BUT OF ALL OTHER TREES, THERE CAN BE 
NONE QUITE SO DEAR AND FRIENDLY AS THE 
OLD LIVE OAKS. AMONG THEIR PLEASANT 
BRANCHES THE SQUIRRELS AND BIRDS FIND 
SWEETEST SANCTUARY, AND HERE THE TINY 
ORANGE-THROATED NUT-HATCHES AND SCAR- 
LET-CAPPED WOOD-PECKERS FIND MANY A 
WORM FOR THE TAKING. 

AFTER A RAIN THE GREY BRANCHES ARE 
GLORIFIED BY A SOFT GREEN CARPET OF RES- 
URRECTION FERNS, THAT UNFOLD SO LOVINGLY 


59 


ALONG THEM, AND HERE ARE THE EPIPHYTES: 
SPANISH MOSS, AIR PINES, WITH CRIMSON SPIKES 
ABLOOM, AND ORCHIDS. 

FESTIVE OLD FELLOWS, THE OAKS, WITH 
THEIR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS, RED FLAGS, 
AND FERNS AND FLOWERS AND PERFUMES. 

WONDERFUL PALMS, RARE AND CURIOUS 
VINES, CREEPERS, STRANGLERS, AND FLOWERS 
WERE HERE TO SEE, IN THIS LOVELY HAMMOCK, 
BUT THE SUN WAS GROWING A COPPERY HUE, 
AND AFTER ALL, ALL PLEASANT AFTERNOONS 
MUST COME TO A CLOSE, SO RELUCTANT ADIEUS 
WERE SPOKEN, AND AGAIN THEY SPED HOME- 
WARD, FEELING VERY SUPERIOR IN THE NEWLY 
ACQUIRED TREE-LORE. 

ON THE WAY HOME PETER DROVE BY THE 
LARGE BANYAN TREE AT THE END OF NORTH- 
EAST TWENTY-SIXTH STREET, WHERE ROOTS 
FROM BRANCHES HAVE DESCENDED TO THE 
GROUND, AND BECOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS 
AND NOURISHMENT FOR THE MOTHER TREE. 
CAROL SAID THAT THE HINDOO MERCHANTS IN 
INDIA USE THESE TREES AS MARKET PLACES. 

PETER SHOWED THEM GUMBO LIMBO TREES, 
AND TOLD THEM THAT IF POSTS OF THE WOOD 
ARE PLACED IN ORNAMENTAL ORDER IN THE 
GROUND, ONE MAY HAVE A LIVING FENCE OF 
GREEN, FOR SO QUICKLY, EASILY IT GROWS, 
THAT HE SAID A FRIEND OF HIS SET SOME 
GUMBO LIMBO STAKES OUT FOR SUPPORTS FOR 
A GROVE OF YOUNG ORANGE TREES, JUST BE- 
FORE HE WENT NORTH FOR THE SUMMER, AND 
WHEN HE RETURNED, LATE IN THE FALL, HE 
FOUND A GUMBO LIMBO FOREST, INSTEAD OF 
AN ORANGE GROVE. ITS WOOD IS EXTREMELY 
SOFT, BUT THE BURNISHED COPPER OF THE 
TRUNK IS BEAUTIFUL, THOUGH THE FOLIAGE IS 
SCARCELY ATTRACTIVE. 

THEN HE SHOWED THEM TROPICAL ALMOND 
TREES, WITH SCARLET AND GREEN FOLIAGE, 

60 


AND SEA GRAPE TREES, WITH ROUND, GLEAM- 
ING LEAVES, VEINED IN CRIMSON. THIS TREE 
HAS FRUIT THAT BIRDS LOVE, AND SOME PEOPLE 
USE THE GRAPES FOR JELLY. 

AROUND MIAMI THERE ARE SAID TO BE OVER 
SIXTEEN KINDS OF PALMS. OFTEN NEW ONES 
ARE DISCOVERED BY THE HORTICULTURISTS. 
THAT ARE MOST INTERESTING. 

PERHAPS THE ONES THAT EVERY ONE 
KNOWS BEST ARE THE SAGO PALM, THE DATE, 
ROYAL, CORK-SCREW, FAN, FISH-TAIL, COCONUT, 
SILVER, AND THE WASHINGTONIAN PALMS, 
WHILE THE MOST FAMILIAR OF THE PALMETTO 
COUSINS ARE THE CABBAGE AND SAW PAL- 
METTO. 

IN FRONT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH PETER 
SHOWED THEM THE ROW OF SPANISH LAURELS, 
IMPORTED TREES THAT ARE PERHAPS, THE ONLY 
ONES OF THEIR KIND IN MIAMI. 

HERE AND THERE AND EVERY WHERE 
GLOWED HEDGES OF ACALYPHA, ALMOST AS 
BEAUTIFULLY COLOURED AS THE CROTONS, 
HEDGES OF HIBISCUS AND OLEANDERS. 

PETER POINTED OUT THE NIGHT-BLOOMING 
CEREUS GROWING ON TREES AND HOUSES, LIKE 
LONG GREEN SERPENTS RUNNING ALONG A SUR- 
FACE, WITH APPARENTLY NO ROOTS, AND HE 
SAID THAT THEY HAD BLOSSOMS EIGHT INCHES 
IN DIAMETER, WHICH WERE OF GREAT FRA- 
GRANCE AND BEAUTY. 

HE SAID THERE WAS A COLLECTION OF CACTI 
AT THE DEERING PLACE, AND THAT HE THOUGHT 
PERHAPS HE HAD COUNTED AT LEAST TWENTY 
VARIETIES OF CACTI. 

AS PETER LEFT THEM AT THEIR DOOR, HE 
TURNED BACK, LAUGHING. 

ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU A FUNNY 
STORY I HEARD TODAY,’^ HE SAID, “WHICH WILL 
FIT IN WITH OUR TREE-STUDY DAY, FOR IT IS 
ABOUT AN OLD NASSAU DARKY WHO LIVES ON 


61 


ONE OF THE KEYS NEAR MIAMI, AND WHO 
MAKES HIS LIVING BY CULTIVATING AND SELL- 
ING LIMES. I WAS IN THE FIRST NATIONAL THIS 
MORNING, AND PARSON BROWN CAME IN, AND 
ASKED FOR A LOAN OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS. 

‘^LOOK HERE, PARSON,’^ SAID THE PRESI- 
DENT, ^‘HOW DOES IT COME THAT YOU WANT TO 
BORROW MONEY? I HEARD THAT YOU HAD A 
SPLENDID LIME CROP THIS YEAR?’^ 

“YASSAH, MARSE PRESIDENT, AH DID HAB 
A GOOD CROP, DAT AH DID. BUT DE DUCKS DONE 
GOT BOUT ALL DAT CROP,^’ REPLIED THE OLD 
MAN. 

“I NEVER HEARD OF DUCKS EATING LIMES, 
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, PARSON?” 

‘WELL, YOU SEE,” EXPLAINED THE OLD 
DARKY, “AH SENT DE LIMES UP NORTH, DEY 
DUCTED DE FREIGHT, DEN DEY DUCTED DE 
STORAGE, DEN DEY DUCTED DE COMMISSION, 
AND DEY DUCTED DE TAXES, YASSAH, DE DUCTS 
DONE GOT DEM BOUT ALL, AN^ AH IS HERE WHY 
OF DAT.” 

PETER LEFT THEM LAUGHING, AS HE DROVE 
AWAY. 

IN THE GROUNDS OF THE ROYAL PALM HO- 
TEL, THERE IS A SPLENDID COLLECTION OF 
TREES, BOTH NATIVE AND FOREIGN, AND HERE 
CAROL SPENT MANY HAPPY HOURS, PETER HAD 
BROUGHT HER THE CHARLES SIMPSON BOOKS, 
AND ARMED WITH THESE, SO FULL OF FASCINAT- 
ING LORE, SHE COMPARED, STUDIED AND WAS 
AT LAST ABLE TO FASTEN TRIUMPHANTLY THE 
RIGHT NAME UPON SOME TREE SHE HAD NEVER 
BEFORE SEEN. 

DURING EVERY WINTER MONTH ALMOST 
EVERY MIAMI GARDEN FLAMES WITH GREAT 
POINSETTIA LEAVES OF VELVETY TEXTURE. 
THIS IS A MEXICAN FLOWER, NAMED FOR POIN- 
SETT, AMERICAN MINISTER TO MEXICO IN EIGH- 
TEEN-TWENTY-EIGHT. IN MEXICO IT IS CALLED 


62 


THE MEXICAN FLAME-LEAF, AND THE BRIL- 
LIANT LEAVES SURROUNDING THE LITTLE 
FLOWERS OF YELLOW ARE VERY GREAT FAVOR- 
ITES. 

AND IN ALMOST EVERY GARDEN CAROL 
COULD SEE THE CLUMPS OF BANANA STALKS, 
SOMETIMES TEN FEET HIGH, WITH THEIR BEAU- 
TIFUL PALE GREEN SATIN LEAVES AND CLUS- 
TERS OF FRAGRANT FRUIT. THERE ARE MANY 
VARIETIES OF THIS PLEASANT FRUIT. BEVERLY 
ASKED OLD MOSES ONE DAY HOW MANY KINDS 
THERE WERE IN NASSAU. 

“DEY’S HOG BANANAS, MISSY, AN^ DEYS CAN- 
DY BANANAS, AN’ DEYS SUGAR BANANAS, AN’ 
DEYS FIG BANANAS AND JAMAICA BANANAS, AN’ 
DAT’S BOUT ALL AH MEMBERS,” SAID THE OLD 
MAN, SCRATCHING HIS HEAD. 

‘‘DO THEY FEED THE HOG BANANAS TO 
PIGS?” ASKED BEVERLY. 

“MAH LIFE, NO,” SAID OLD MOSES, “DEY 
CALLS DEM DAT ON ACCOUNT DEY IS SO THICK 
SKINNED, BUT IN DE MIDDLE DEY AM GOOD, AN’ 
POWERFUL SWEET, DAT DEY AM.” AND MOSES 
SMACKED HIS LIPS, REMINISCENTLY. 


63 


CHAPTER TEN 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE EXPOUNDS UPON 
THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 


MORE THAN ONCE, ON THE STREETS, HAD 
BEVERLY NOTICED THE SEMINOLES, TRUDGING 
BAREFOOTED AND SINGLE-FILE. THEY SEEMED 
TO HER TO BRING WITH THEM, INTO THE HUM 
AND CLAMOR OF THE CITY DAY A PLEASANT, 
PUNGENT ODOR OF THE WOODLAND, AND A 
BREATH AND SIGH OF THE LONG-AGO, WHEN ALL 
THE COUNTRY ROUND ABOUT MIAMI WAS THE 
SEMINOLE^S KINGDOM OF SWEET-DO-NOTHING, 
AND THEIR WILL WAS THE WIND’S WILL, AND 
THEY ROVED THE DEEP DARK FASTNESSES OF 
TRAILS THAT LED TO SUN-FLOODED HAPPY 
HUNTING SWAMPS, WITH NO MARAUDING INTRU- 
SION OF THE PALE-FACE. ONE DAY AS BEVERLY, 
CAROL AND PETER PRIMROSE SAT IN THE PARK, 
AND WATCHED THE THRONGS OF TOURISTS PACE 
HAPPILY ALONG, A SEMINOLE CAME STALKING 
BY, IN HIS GAYLY STRIPED DRESS OF RED AND 
GREEN AND BLACK STRIPES THAT RAN AROUND 
HIS STURDY BODY. HE HAD AN AIR OF ALOOF- 
NESS, AS IF, SEEMINGLY, HE WERE AT THAT 
VERY MOMENT IN THE HEART OF THE SWAMP, 
AS SO HE WAS NO DOUBT IN SPIRIT. AND AT 
BEVERLY’S EAGER QUESTIONING, PETER BE- 
CAME RETROSPECTIVE, AND AS THE STRAINS 
OF PRYOR’S BAND FLOATED TO THEM FROM THE 
STAND WHERE THE GREAT MUSICIAN LED HIS 


64 


MEN THROUGH THE INTRICACIES OF WILLIAM 
TELL THUS SPAKE PETER: 

^‘THESE SILENT, DARK-SKINNED PEOPLE ARE 
THE LAST DESCENDANTS OF THE; RUN-A-WAY 
CHOCTAW-CREEKS OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND 
GEORGIA. A COMBINATION OF THE FIGHTING 
CREEKS AND THE ABORIGINES OF THE SEVEN- 
TEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES. 

THE WAR OF 1835 AND 1842 WAS THE MOST 
BLOODY OF ALL THOSE AGAINST INDIAN TRIBES. 
IT ORIGINATED BECAUSE THE SEMINOLES RE- 
FUSED TO CEDE THEIR FLORIDA LANDS AND RE- 
MOVE TO THE INDIAN TERRITORY ACCORDING TO 
A TREATY RATIFIED IN 1834. 

MAJOR FRANCIS L. DADE, FROM WHOM DADE 
COUNTY TOOK ITS NAME, WAS IN COMMAND OF 
THE FOURTH UNITED STATES INFANTRY AT THE 
OUTBREAK OF THE FIRST SEMINOLE WAR. ON 
DECEMBER 24th, 1835, HE LEFT TAMPA FOR FORT 
KING WITH SEVEN OFFICERS AND ONE HUNDRED 
AND TWELVE MEN, ALL OF WHOM WERE MAS- 
SACRED, EXCEPT THREE SOLDIERS. THE SEV- 
EN-YEAR WAR OF THE SEMINOLES COST THE 
GOVERNMENT TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS AND 
ONE THOUSAND LIVES, TO DESTROY LESS THAN 
ONE THOUSAND SEMINOLES. IT WAS DURING 
THIS WAR THAT DR. HENRY PERRINE WAS 
KILLED, AND THE ATTACK WAS MADE ON THE 
CAPE FLORIDA LIGHT-HOUSE. 

AND IN 1855 ANOTHER WAR WAS PROVOKED 
BY SOME MISCHIEVOUS SURVEYORS WHO DE- 
STROYED THE FINE AND TREASURED BANANA 
GARDEN OF BILLY BOWLEGS, FOR BILLY IN 
RETRIBUTION ATTACKED THE SURVEYOR'S CAMP 
WITH SOME OF HIS WARRIORS, AND WOUNDED 
SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT MEN, AND FOR 
THREE YEARS A CAPRICIOUS WAR WAS CARRIED 
ON. BILLY BECAME AN OUT-LAW, AND A RE- 
WARD OF TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS 

65 


WAS GIVEN FOR EACH SEMINOLE BROUGHT TO 
THE MILITARY POST AT FORT MYERS.” 

PETER PAUSED AS THE NOISE OF AN AIR- 
PLANE DROWNED HIS VOICE, AND THE THREE 
GOOD FRIENDS WATCHED AS THE PLANE SWEPT 
AWAY ACROSS THE BRIGHT BLUE SKY, CLIMBED 
HIGH UP ABOVE THE ROYAL PALM, POISED, 
SWIRLED, TURNED AND SWAM BACK ABOVE 
THEIR HEADS, THEN SHOT SWIFTLY DOWNWARD, 
AND FLOATED CALMLY LIKE ONE OF THE BAY’S 
OWN GENTLE WAVES. 

‘FORTUNATELY,” WENT ON THE QUIET 
VOICE: 

“NOW THE POOR INDIAN HAS MANY POWER- 
FUL FRIENDS AMONG INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF 
THIS STATE. MRS. MINNIE MOORE WILLSON IS 
FLORIDA’S HELEN HUNT JACKSON, AND THE 
WOMEN’S CLUBS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, DEAN 
SPENCER AND OTHER PHILANTHROPISTS ARE 
CONSTANTLY WORKING FOR THESE LOWLY PEO- 
PLE. AN INDUSTRIAL STATION HAS BEEN 
STARTED IN THE BIG CYPRESS SWAMP, WHERE 
LIBERAL WAGES ARE PAID THE INDIANS FOR 
ANY LABOR THEY PERFORM FOR THE GOVERN- 
MENT, AS CUTTING POSTS FOR FENCES, CLEAN- 
ING UP NEW LAND, HAULING SUPPLIES AND 
OTHER TASKS, SO THAT IN TIME THEY MAY GAIN 
NEW HOPE AND CONFIDENCE, AND MAY AT LAST 
BE INDUCED TO RECEIVE EDUCATION.” 

“BUT DON’T THE INDIAN CHILDREN GO TO 
SCHOOL?” ASKED BEVERLY. 

“THERE IS A TRIBAL LAW AGAINST EDUCA- 
TION, FOR THE SEMINOLE BELIEVES THAT WHEN 
THEY CAN READ AND WRITE THEY WILL BEGIN 
TO LIE, AND THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT SEMINOLE 
CHILDREN IN FLORIDA SCHOOLS. 

TOMMY TOMMY, A BRIGHT BOY OF TWENTY, 
WENT AS FAR AS THE TENTH GRADE IN THE 
FORT LAUDERDALE HIGH SCHOOL. BUT THE 
SQUAWS ARE EDUCATED TO THE SEWING MA- 


CHINES, WHICH THEY USE TO SEW THE BRIGHT 
STRIPS OF CALICO OF WHICH THEIR CLOTHES 
ARE MADE. THE MEN’S DRESSES ARE KNEE 
LENGTH, BUT THE WOMEN’S DRAG UPON THE 
GROUND, AND UNDER THE BRIGHT CAPES ONE 
CATCHES A GLIMPSE OF BROWN BARE SKIN, THE 
LUSTROUS BLACK HAIR OF THE SQUAWS IS PILED 
HIGH, AND FREQUENTLY BANGS ARE SEEN. BUT 
IT IS THE ROW UPON ROW OF BEADS THAT IS SO 
FASCINATING. AND THEREBY HANGS MANY A 
TALE. 

TO THESE SQUAWS THEIR BEADS ARE THE 
MOST WONDERFUL AND CHARMING THINGS ONE 
CAN POSSESS. THEY MEAN TO HER SOCIAL 
STANDING AND CHARACTER, AND ARE BURIED 
WITH HER. THE BABY PAPOOSE GIRL HAS HER 
FIRST YEAR BEAD, LARGER THAN ALL THE 
OTHERS TO COME, THEN AFTER A STRING OF 
THEM FOR EACH YEAR UNTIL SHE MAY MARRY, 
THEN SHE RECEIVES SIX NEW STRANDS, AND 
PERHAPS GIFTS OF STRANDS AT HER WEDDING, 
THEN SHE MAY HAVE TWO STRANDS ADDED FOR 
EACH BABY, SO IN GOOD TIME SHE MAY WEAR AS 
MANY AS THIRTY POUNDS OF BEADS ABOUT HER 
NECK, MOSTLY GREEN AND BLUE. BUT WHEN 
MIDDLE LIFE COMES SHE BEGINS REMOVING 
THEM, A STRING AT A TIME, AS THE YEARS GO 
BY, UNTIL AT LAST SHE IS AN OLD WOMAN WITH 
ONLY ONE SINGLE STRING, CALLED LIFE BEADS. 
THEY DO NOT TRY TO WORK WITH ALL THIS BUR- 
DEN ABOUT THEIR NECKS, BUT ARE NEVER 
WITHOUT SOME AT LEAST, BUT THE RESIDUE IS 
ADDED WHEN COMPANY COMES OR A VISIT TO 
TOWN IS MADE. 

THEY ALL GO BAREFOOTED, AND CAN WALK 
THIRTY-FIVE MILES A DAY WITHOUT FATIGUE, 
CARRYING THEIR BUNDLES OF OTTER, WILD-CAT 
AND RACCOON, DEER AND SNAKE AND ALLIGA- 
TOR SKINS. THERE IS ONE MAN IN MIAMI WHO 


67 


BUYS ALL THE SKINS AND FURS THAT THE IN- 
DIANS CAN SECURE.” 

‘^ONE OF MY FRIENDS TOLD ME OF SEEING 
THE MOON DANCE AT PALM BEACH LAST WIN- 
TER,” SAID CAROL. 

“OH, TELL US ABOUT THE MOON DANCE, PE- 
TER, PLEASE,” CRIED BEVERLY. 

“I FOUND A DESCRIPTION OF THAT WHICH I 
WILL READ TO YOU,” SAID PETER. “IT IS FROM 
THE AGNEW WELSH HISTORIC REVIEWS IN THE 
MIAMI METROPOLIS. MR. WELSH SAYS THAT 
THE FIRST MOON DANCE PERHAPS TO BE WIT- 
NESSED BY A WHITE MAN WAS SEEN BY JONA- 
THAN DICKENSON, IN SIXTEEN NINETY-SIX 
MR. DICKENSON WAS A PHILADELPHIA SHIP- 
OWNER, AND WAS SHIPWRECKED NEAR BIS- 
CAYNE BAY THAT YEAR. HE SAYS THE MOON 
DANCE WAS A THREE-DAY CEREMONY, MARK- 
ING THE ENTRANCE OF THE NEW MOON UPON 
ITS FIRST QUARTER AND BEGAN AT EIGHT 
O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, CONTINUED WITH 
LITTLE INTERRUPTION FOR REST, THE MEN 
FALLING OFTEN FROM EXHAUSTION AND 
FATIGUE. 

“FIRST CAME AN OLD MAN WITH A STAFF 
ABOUT EIGHT FEET LONG, HAVING A BROAD AR- 
ROW ON ONE END THEREOF, AND PAINTED RED 
AND WHITE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STAFF IS 
FIXED A PIECE OF WOOD, SHAPED LIKE A THIGH, 
FOOT AND LEG OF A MAN, WITH THE LOWER 
PART PAINTED BLACK, WHICH IS SET FAST IN 
THE GROUND, STANDING UPRIGHT. THIS DONE 
HE ALSO BRINGS A BASKET CONTAINING SIX 
RATTLES WHICH HE TAKES OUT OF THE BASKET 
AND PLACES AT THE FOOT OF THE STAFF. THEN 
ANOTHER OLD MAN COMES AND SETS UP A 
HOWLING, LIKE A MIGHTY DOG, MAKING A PROC- 
LAMATION, AND THIS BEING DONE THE MOST OF 
THEM, HAVING PAINTED THEMSELVES, SOME 
RED, SOME BLACK AND SOME RED AND BLACK, 

68 


WITH THEIR BELLIES GIRT UP AS TIGHT AS THEY 
CAN WITH CORDS HAVING A SHEATH OF ARROWS 
AT THEIR BACKS AND THEIR BOWS IN THEIR 
HANDS, GATHER ABOUT THIS STAFF SIX OF THE 
CHIEFEST MEN IN THE TRIBE, AND THESE SIX 
TAKE UP THESE RATTLES AND BEGIN A HID- 
EOUS NOISE, BOWING WITHOUT CEASING FOR 
ABOUT HALF AN HOUR. 

‘WHILE THESE SIX ARE DOING THIS THE 
REST ARE SCRATCHING AND STARING, POINTING 
UP AND DOWN, LOOKING LIKE FRIGHTENED 
FURIES UNTIL THE SIX HAVE DONE SHAKING 
THEIR RATTLES, THEN THEY ALL BEGIN TO 
DANCE, VIOLENTLY STAMPING ON THE GROUND 
FOR THE SPACE OF AN HOUR OR MORE, WITHOUT 
STOPPING, SWEATING IN A MOST EXCESSIVE 
MANNER. OFTEN THEY WILL REPEAT THE PER- 
FORMANCE CONTINUING UNTIL THREE OR FOUR 
IN THE AFTERNOON, BY WHICH TIME MANY ARE 
SICK. THEY DO NOT EAT UNTIL NIGHT, THEN 
THEY EAT BERRIES AND HOT ‘CAFEENA.’ 

MR. WELSH ALSO RELATES AN AMUSING 
STORY OF TIGER TAIL, FOR WHOM THE TRAIL IS 
NAMED. A MR. INGRAHAM ASKED TIGER TAH. 
IF HE KNEW A MR. JOHNSON WHO LIVED NEAR 
COCONUT GROVE. TIGER TAIL ANSWERED THAT 
HE KNEW HIM VERY WELL, INDEED. THEN MR. 
INGRAHAM SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW 
WHAT BECAME OF MR. JOHNSON, TO WHICH TI- 
GER TAIL REPLIED, QUITE IMPERSONALLY: 

“ME KILL HIM, JOHNSON LIVE BIG SPRING, 
JOHNSON INDIAN’S FRIEND, ME JOHNSON’S 
FRIEND, JOHNSON MY FRIEND, ME HEAP LIKE 
JOHNSON. ME HEAP GO STAY JOHNSON’S. ONE 
DAY ME GO SEE JOHNSON, I TELL JOHNSON ‘YOU 
GO WAY HIEPUS, INDIAN COME, INDIAN WAR, 
YOU HIEPUS!’ JOHNSON SAY, ‘OH, NO, ME IN- 
DIAN FRIEND, INDIAN MY FRIEND, ME NO GO, ME 
STAY, INDIAN NO HURT ME.’ I GO WAY, COME 
BACK ONE MOON, TWO MOONS, I SAY ‘JOHNSON, 


69 


GO WAY, HIEPUS, INDIAN COME, INDIAN WAR, HE 
HURT YOU.’ JOHNSON SAY ‘OH, NO, ME TRUST 
INDIAN, ME INDIAN FRIEND, INDIAN MY FRIEND. 
I STAY.’ SO ME KILL JOHNSON TO KEEP INDIAN 
FROM HURTING JOHNSON.” 

MEAT IS THE INDIAN’S CHIEF FOOD, HE LIVES 
ON DEER, FISH AND OTHER MEATS, EATING 
THEM FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A DAY, HE NEVER 
EATS WITHOUT MEAT. WHEN HE COMES TO 
TOWN HE BUYS GRITS, SUGAR AND FLOUR AND 
COFFEE. 

WHEN TRADING SKINS THE INDIAN SHOWS 
CAUTION BY SELLING ONLY ONE AT A TIME, AND 
HE BUYS EQUALLY AS CAUTIOUSLY, SPENDING 
ONLY FIVE OR TEN CENTS AT A TIME. DISHON- 
ESTY, LYING, OR ABANDONING THE TRIBAL 
DRESS IS USUALLY PUNISHED BY CROPPING AN 
EAR OF THE OFFENDER. BUT THERE IS LITTLE 
OF SUCH PUNISHMENT DONE, FOR THE INDIANS 
ARE HONEST, TRUTHFUL, HOME-LOVING, AND 
THE WOMEN ARE EXTREMELY VIRTUOUS. THEY 
TAKE THEIR DAILY BATH, THEY DO NOT BICKER 
OR QUARREL AMONG THEMSELVES. THERE IS 
MUCH TO BE SAID IN PRAISE OF THIS PICTUR- 
ESQUE, ROMANTIC PEOPLE. THERE IS SAID TO 
BE NOT ONE PROFANE WORD IN THEIR DIALECT. 

THEIR LANGUAGE IS MOST DIFFICULT TO 
LEARN, SOME OF THE WORDS ARE PRODIGIOUSLY 
LONG: 

OCK-LOCK-O-NEE— MIAMI. 

HI-E-PUS— TO GO. 

MOT-TO— THANK YOU. 

KINK-LAS— GOOD. 

HEE-CHEE— TOBACCO. 

HI-LIP-PIT-KA-SHAW— HOW ARE YOU? 

HO— YES. 

LOP-KO— HURRY. 

“THANK YOU, PETER,” CRIED BEVERLY AND 
CAROL. 

“AND,” CONTINUED BEVERLY, “I THINK IT IS 


70 


SPLENDID TO KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT ONE’S OWN 
TOWN, I WISH I KNEW MY NEW YORK LIKE I 
KNOW YOUR MIAMI, ALREADY. THANKS TO YOU, 
PETER.” 

‘IF YOU DON’T KNOW MIAMI IT IS SURELY 
NO FAULT OF MINE,” ANSWERED PETER PRIM- 
ROSE, “BUT I THINK I SHALL HIRE A HALL, AND 
BECOME A PROFESSIONAL LECTURER. ANYWAY, 
IT IS THE PENALTY OF BEING SUCH GOOD LIS- 
TENERS, AS INDEED YOU BOTH ARE.” 


71 


CHAPTER ELEVEN 


IN WHICH PETER PRIMROSE THROWS DADE 
COUNTY’S HAT INTO THE RING, AND CON- 
COCTS AN EXCELLENT DINNER FROM 
HER NATURAL RESOURCES. 


AFTER ROBERT AINSLEY ARRIVED IN MIAMI, 
IN EARLY FEBRUARY, AND THEY HAD SEEN 
MIAMI, ALL OVER AGAIN, THROUGH HIS DE- 
LIGHTED EYES, BEVERLY SAID ONE DAY, WHILE 
THEY WERE RIDING ABOUT WITH PETER PRIM- 
ROSE: 

“PETER, ONE DAY LAST FALL I READ A CALI- 
FORNIA STORY BOOK, IN WHICH SOME PEOPLE 
WENT ON A PICNIC INTO THE COUNTRY, AND 
PROCURED A MOST DELICIOUS DINNER FROM 
RIGHT AROUND THEIR CAMP SITE, OF NATURAL 
PRODUCTS, AND COOKED FISH AND VEGETA- 
BLES, AND I REMEMBER WISHING THAT I COULD 
GO INTO THE WOODS AND FORAGE UP A DINNER.” 

“OH HO, MISS, IS THAT A CHALLENGE?” 
LAUGHED PETER. 

“IT IS IF YOU WILL ACCEPT IT AS ONE,” CRIED 
BEVERLY, EAGERLY, “OH PETER, WOULDN’T IT 
BE FUN?” 

“AND WORK, TOO, AND YOU’LL ALL HAVE TO 
HELP THE COOK. BUT I’D BE ASHAMED IF I DID 
NOT BELIEVE THAT MY COUNTY CAN PRODUCE 
AS GOOD A DINNER AS ANY COUNTY IN CALIFOR- 
NIA. DID THOSE STORY-BOOK PEOPLE TAKE ANY 
THING OUT OF THE HOME PANTRY TO HELP 


72 


ALONG THE MENU? SUCH AS BUTTER, EGGS, 
CREAM OR SUGAR?” ASKED PETER. 

“I BELIEVE THEY DID, IT HAS BEEN A LONG 
TIME SINCE I READ THE BOOK, AND PM REALLY 
NOT SURE. BUT YOU MAY BE ALLOWED SOME 
PENNSYLVANIA SUGAR COMPANY SUGAR, AND 
EGGS AND BUTTER AND CREAM, ALL FROM DADE 
COUNTY, PETER, IF YOU LIKE.” 

‘IF YOU’RE GOING TO SERVE A SALAD FLL 
MAKE YOU SOME MAYONNAISE FROM LEMON 
JUICE, EGGS, AND COTTON SEED OIL,” SAID 
CAROL. “IF YOU WISH TO CARRY OUT THE HOME 
PRODUCT SCHEME.” 

“DONE,” CRIED PETER, “PM GETTING ENTHU- 
SIASTIC, AND DADE COUNTY’S HAT IS IN THE 
RING. I’LL GATHER FROM ANY LOCALITY 
AROUND MIAMI, THAT YOU MAY SELECT, THIS 
WONDERFUL DINNER. SO NAME YOUR LOCA- 
TION, PLEASE.” 

“PD LIKE SOUTH FORK,” SAID CAROL, “THAT 
LITTLE STREAM IS SO PICTURESQUE, AND WE 
MIGHT FIND SOME INDIANS CAMPING UP THERE, 
TOO, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING.” 

“I’D CHOOSE SNAPPER CREEK,” CRIED BEV- 
ERLY, “THAT CLEAR, SWEET SPRING UNDER THE 
FERNS IS SO PRETTY, AND THE CUNNING LITTLE 
CREEK, RIGHT AT THE FOOT OF THE CAMP, AND 
THE TREES AND WOODS, SO CLOSE.” 

“PD RATHER GO UP THE TA-MIAMI TRAIL,” 
SAID ROBERT AINSLEY, “THAT IS ALL SO DIFFER- 
ENT FROM ANY PLACE I’VE EVER SEEN.” 

“WE’LL TOSS UP FOR IT,” CRIED PETER, 
“HEADS, SNAPPER CREEK, TAILS, SOUTH FORK, 
EDGE, TA-MIAMI TRAIL CAMP,” AND HE SPUN A 
COIN, “HEADS HAVE IT,” HE SAID, “IT’S YOUR 
CHOICE, BEVERLY, SO TO SNAPPER CREEK WE 
GO.” 

SO THAT WAS WHY, EARLY THE NEXT MORN- 
ING, THE SEDAN TURNED SOUTH, WITH PETER’S 

73 


CAMPING OUTFIT STRAPPED TO THE RUNNING- 
BOARD. 

THEY WERE ALL IN MERRY MOOD, FOR IT 
WAS TO BE A MERRY DAY, AS PETER TURNED 
INTO THE CUTLER ROAD, AND CAME AFTER A 
WHILE TO THE LITTLE CREEK THAT FLOWS AT 
THE BASE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CAMP. HERE, 
UNDER MANY TREES IS THE LUCID AND LOVELY 
SPRING, WHOSE WATER IS SO CLEAR AND COOL 
AND SWEET. SNAPPER CREEK FLOWS INTO THE 
BAY ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF BELOW THE 
CAMP. 

PETER DROVE THE CAR AS FAR ALONG THE 
CREEK AS HE COULD, THEN HE PICKED A CAMP- 
ING SPOT, CLOSE TO THE SPRING, AND PLACED 
HIS CAMPING OUTFIT ASIDE UNDER A TREE THAT 
HE CALLED HIS KITCHEN. 

THEN BEVERLY CHOSE THE DINING ROOM, 
WHERE ROBERT AINSLEY AT ONCE ARRANGED 
A TABLE FROM MATERIAL THAT HE FOUND 
CLOSE BY. 

PETER DOVE INTO THE WOOD, AND CARRIED 
OUT TWO DRY, THICK LOGS, THESE HE PLACED IN 
V SHAPE AND LAID A FIRE, READY TO BE LIGHT- 
ED, IN THE V, AND WHILE HE DID THIS THE 
OTHERS STOOD AROUND AND OFFERED COPIOUS 
ADVICE, AND OBSTRUCTED HIS WAY AS MUCH 
AS POSSIBLE. HE LAID OUT HIS KNIVES AND 
COOKING UTENSILS. 

THEN WHEN HE HAD FINISHED HE PICKED 
UP HIS AX, AND SAID: 

‘‘NOW, ALL WE NEED IS JUST SOMETHING TO 
COOK, SO YOU AND I, ROBERT, WILL FARE FORTH 
INTO THE WOOD. YOU ALL CAN LOOK AROUND, 
OR READ WHILE WE’RE GONE, AND YOUR TURN 
TO WORK WILL COME LATER.” 

WHEN ROBERT AND PETER RETURNED, HALF 
AN HOUR LATER, PETER CARRIED A PALMETTO 
CABBAGE, FROM WHICH HE HAD CHOPPED THE 
BROWN FIBRE. IT WAS ALMOST WHITE, AND 

74 


LOOKED VERY TENDER AND GOOD TO EAT. BE- 
SIDE THE CABBAGE HE HAD SOME BROWN, THICK 
ROOTS, AND A PIECE OF THICK, ROUGH-BARKED 
VINE, WHICH HE TOLD THEM WAS CALLED 
‘‘HUNTER^S VINE.’’ WITH A KNIFE HE CUT A SEC- 
TION OF IT AND CLEAR, COOL WATER FLOWED 
OUT. 

^‘BECAUSE WE ARE CAMPED SO CLOSE TO A 
SPRING, WE DO NOT NEED THIS WATER,” SAID 
PETER, ^‘BUT IF WE WERE SOMEWHERE WE 
COULD NOT GET FRESH WATER YOU CAN SEE 
HOW GRATEFUL THIS WOULD TASTE. IT HANGS 
IN FESTOONS FROM TREES, AND IS A NATIVE OF 
SOUTH AMERICA, AND I KNEW YOU WOULD BE 
INTERESTED IN IT, IT SEEMS VERY WONDER- 
FUL, TO ME.” 

“AND WHAT ARE THE BROWN BULBS, OR 
ROOTS?” ASKED CAROL. 

“THIS IS COMPTIE,” ANSWERED PETER, “I 
AM GOING TO POUND THESE ROOTS, WASH THEM 
IN MANY WATERS, SEPARATE THE FIBROUS 
PART, AND I HOPE THAT THERE WILL THEN BE 
ENOUGH STARCH LEFT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 
PAN FOR A PUDDING FOR DESSERT. I HAVE 
BROUGHT A COCONUT, AND I WILL BOIL THE 
STARCH IN THE COCONUT MILK, ADD THE GRAT- 
ED COCONUT TO IT, BEAT IN THE STIFF WHITES 
OP THREE EGGS, AND ADD SOME CANE SUGAR. 
THEN WITH THESE WILD GRAPES I SHALL MAKE 
A SAUCE TO EAT WITH THE PUDDING. WOULD 
YOU LIKE TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT COMP- 
TIE?” ASKED PETER, AS HE STARTED POUNDING 
THE ROOTS. 

“COMPTIE STARCH IS USED IN NASSAU FOR 
STARCHING CLOTHES. IN FLORIDA IT IS MANU- 
FACTORED INTO AN ARROWROOT, IT PLANTS ITS 
SELF, IT IS NOT INJURED BY FOREST FIRES, FOR 
SINCE THE CHIEF PART OF THE PLANT IS UN- 
DERGROUND, THE FIRE OPENS ITS CONE-LIKE 
FRUITS, AND SCATTERS THE SEEDS. THE SEEDS 

75 


ARE THOSE BRIGHT SCARLET HEAPS YOU SEE 
LYING UNDER THE PINES IN FORESTS. IT MAN- 
UFACTURES IT’S OWN NITROGEN FROM THE NO- 
DULES ON THE ROOTS, THE ONLY ROOT CAPABLE 
OF THIS. NOW I’M GOING TO LEAVE THIS TO 
SOAK, AND BEVERLY, PLEASE STEM THE GRAPES 
AND PUT THEM ON TO COOK IN A LITTLE WATER, 
WHEN THEY ARE SOFT STRAIN THEM THROUGH 
THIS STRAINER, AND PUT THE JUICE BACK ON 
WITH EQUAL PARTS OF SUGAR, AND AS SOON AS 
THE SUGAR IS DISSOLVED, REMOVE IT FROM THE 
FIRE. NOW, ROBERT, WHERE ARE THE MUSH- 
ROOMS?” 

“OH, DID YOU REALLY /FIND SOME MUSH- 
ROOMS, TOO?” CRIED BEVERLY. 

“YES,” ANSWERED ROBERT, “AND JUST SEE 
HOW PINK AND FRESH THEY ARE. ISN’T PETER 
THE GREAT NATURAL PROVIDER?” 

“YOU NEED NOT BE AFRAID OF ANY MUSH- 
ROOMS OF MY GATHERING,” SAID PETER, AS HE 
CUT THE CABBAGE INTO SHREDS, “BECAUSE I 
AM REALLY A FUNGI AUTHORITY. I HAVE MADE 
A SPECIAL STUDY OF FUNGI, AND ONCE SPENT 
SEVERAL MONTHS STUDYING THEM WITH A MAN 
WHO HAD MADE THEM HIS LIFE STUDY, AND 
WRITTEN SEVERAL BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT. IN 
AUSTRALIA MUSHROOMS ARE USED LARGELY 
AS FOOD. THEY GROW IN EVERY PART OF THE 
WORLD. I WOULD NOT ADVISE ANY ONE WHO 
IS NOT VERSED IN THE ART OF HUNTING MUSH- 
ROOMS TO GATHER THEM, HOWEVER, BECAUSE 
SO MANY ARE DEADLY POISON.” 

“AND WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU, BOBBY?” 
ASKED BEVERLY. 

“COCO PLUMS. WANT TO EAT SOME ?” 

“WE DO NOT NEED THEM FOR OUR DINNER,” 
SAID PETER, BUT I THOUGHT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE 
SOME. THERE ARE SEVERAL VARIETIES, AND 

76 


ALL ARE NOT AS SEEDY AS THESE, THEY MAKE 
EXCELLENT PRESERVES.” 

BEVERLY BIT INTO ONE, ‘WELL,” SHE SAID, 
“I WOULDNT EXACTLY RAVE OVER THEM, BUT 
I COULD EAT THEM IF I WERE REALLY HUNGRY.” 

“NOW,” SAID PETER, “I HAVE PLACED THE 
MUSHROOMS IN SALTED WATER, AND YOU HAVE 
THE GRAPES READY, AND THE COMPTIE IS SOAK- 
ING, SO ROBERT AND I ARE GOING TO GET IN 
THAT LITTLE BOAT THAT YOU SEE DOWN THERE 
IN THE CREEK, AND ROW DOWN TO THE BAY 
AFTER ANOTHER LOAD OF SUSTENANCE FOR 
DINNER. SO, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN TURN TO 
AND CATCH THE FISH COURSE. SEE, HERE IS 
THE ROD, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO FLOP IT 
IN, DOWN THERE, THE CREEK IS FULL OF THEM, 
PRAYING TO BE CAUGHT. FLL NOT ASK YOU TO 
REMOVE THE SCALES, BECAUSE I DONT BELIEVE 
YOU KNOW HOW TO, SO FLL DO THAT WHEN I 
COME BACK.” 

SO AWAY WENT PETER AND BOBBY, AND 
BEVERLY SET TO WORK, FISHING, AND CAROL 
LAID THE TABLE, AND MADE IT BEAUTIFUL WITH 
FERNS AND FLOWERS, AND THEY WERE BOTH 
SO BUSILY ENGAGED THAT IT SEEMED ONLY A 
FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE BOAT CAME IN SIGHT 
AGAIN. 

BOBBY AINSLEY SEEMED TO BE GUARDING 
SOMETHING VERY CAREFULLY IN HIS HAT, AND 
WHEN THEY REACHED THE BANK, PETER TOOK 
POSSESSION OF THE HAT AND ITS MYSTERIOUS 
CONTENTS, AND NOT ALL BEVERLY^S COAXING 
AND STRENUOUS EFFORTS TO LOOK INTO IT 
FORCIBLY, COULD INDUCE PETER TO DIVULGE 
ITS CONTENTS. BUT HE PUT THE OBSCURE SE- 
CRET SAFE INTO A CLOSED BUCKET OF WATER 
AND SET IT TO BOIL ON THE CRACKLING CAMP 
FIRE. 

“HOW MANY FISH DID YOU CATCH, HONEY?” 
ASKED BOBBY. 


77 


“YES, LET ME SEE FISHERMAN’S LUCK,” SAID 
PETER. 

“YOU ONLY HAD FIVE HOOKS, PETER,” ANS- 
WERED BEVERLY, “SO I COULDN’T CATCH BUT 
FIVE FISH, AND NEARLY ALL THE LINE IS USED 
UP, TOO.” 

PETER STARED, “FIVE FISH, FIVE HOOKS,” 
HE EJACULATED. 

BEVERLY RAN DOWN TO CREEK’S BRINK, 
WHERE SHE HAD FIVE SMALL FISH TIED NEATLY 
TO A STAKE, EACH TROUT HAD A HOOK IN ITS 
GILLS AND ABOUT A YARD OF LINE ATTACHED. 

HOW PETER PRIMROSE LAUGHED, THEN. 

“SOME LITTLE OLD ISAAC WALTON, I’LL SAY 
YOU ARE.” 

THEN HE PRODUCED FROM THE BOAT, TWO 
WILD DUCKS, SOME SMALL PERIWINKLES, WHICH 
HE ANNOUNCED WERE FOR SOUP, A SHORT THICK 
FLOWER STEM OF THE SPANISH BAYONET, 
LEAVES OF A TEA PLANT, AND SOME LIMES. 

“NOW WE CAN ALL GET TO WORK,” SAID PE- 
TER. “MISS CAROL, I’M GOING TO PLACE THIS 
STARCH AND COCONUT MILK IN THIS PAN, AND 
YOU CAN WATCH IT AND STIR IT. ROBERT, 
PLEASE GRATE THE COCONUT, BEVERLY YOU 
CAN WHIP THE EGG WHITES, AND WE CAN GET 
THE PUDDING COLD BEFORE DINNER.” 

THEN PETER SLICED THE BAYONET STALK, 
AND CUT IT INTO DICE, AND PUT IT TO BOIL IN 
SALTED WATER, THEN HE PLUCKED THE DUCKS, 
WASHED THEM, DREDGED THEM WITH SALT 
AND PEPPER, AND PUT THEM TO ROAST. HE 
ALSO PLACED THE MUSHROOMS ON THE FIRE, 
THESE HE PREPARED WITH SALT, PEPPER AND 
PLENTY OF BUTTER. 

CAROL ANNOUNCED THAT THE CONTENTS 
OF HER PAN LOOKED LIKE CORN-STARCH BLANC 
MANGE, SO PETER TURNED THE GRATED COCO- 
NUT INTO IT, CAREFULLY ADDED THE BEATEN 
WHITES OF EGGS, AND MAKING A WELL IN THE 


78 


CENTER HE FILLED THE PUDDING WITH WILD 
GRAPE SAUCE, AND COVERING IT, LOWERED IT 
INTO THE SPRING TO GET COLD. 

THEN WHILE THE CABBAGE AND BAYONET 
WERE BOTH BOILING, PETER TOOK THE CLOSED 
BUCKET OFF THE FIRE, IT HAD BEEN BOILING 
ABOUT AN HOUR, BY THIS TIME, AND HE CAR- 
RIED IT INTO THE WOOD, AND WHEN HE RE- 
APPEARED HE HAD WHAT SEEMED TO BE EGG- 
YOLKS. THESE HE MASHED, SEASONED VERY 
HIGHLY, AND MOLDED INTO LITTLE BALLS. THE 
BAYONET WAS COOKED VERY TENDER NOW, AND 
PETER LOWERED IT INTO THE SPRING, ALSO. 

“THERE. THAT IS MY SALAD,” SAID PETER, 
AS HE DID THIS, “SOME NATIVES USE THE FULL 
FLOWER OF THE PLANT, BOILING THEM AS A 
VEGETABLE, THEY ARE VERY DELICATE, AND IN 
SOUTH AMERICA IT IS VERY COMMONLY USED 
FOR FOOD. BUT I PREFER IT FOR SALAD, TODAY.” 

THEN HE WASHED THE BIVALVES. PLACED 
THEM ON TO BOIL, SHELLS AND ALL, AND IT WAS 
ONLY THE WORK OF A MINUTE FOR HIM TO SCALE 
THE FISH, AND THEN HE FRIED IT A GOLDEN 
BROWN, AND DELICIOUSLY CRISP. 

THEN PETER STRAINED THE SOUP, SEASON- 
ED IT WITH BUTTER, AND SALT AND PEPPER, 
AND ANNOUNCED DINNER AS SERVED. 

“NOW,” SAID PETER, AS HE PLACED STEAM- 
ING CUPS OF BOUILLON BEFORE THEM, AND 
OPENED A BOX OF SALTINES, “I AM SERVING MY 
DINNER IN COURSES. SO YOU ALL SIT STILL, AND 
LET ME DO THE RUNNING AROUND.” 

THEY FOUND THE BOUILLON GOOD, AND THE 
FISH ALL THAT THEY SHOULD BE, THEN PETER 
BROUGHT THE DUCKS, BEAUTIFULLY BROWNED, 
THE MUSHROOMS, DELICATE OF FLAVOR AND 
AROMA, AND THE CABBAGE. 

“YOU AREN’T TO THINK,” SAID PETER, AS 
THEY ATE THIS COURSE, “THAT WHAT WE ARE 
EATING AT THIS DINNER IS ALL THAT I COULD 


79 


HAVE SUPPLIED. ON THE CONTRARY I COULD 
HAVE HAD A MUCH MORE ELABORATE MENU. 
I RAN ACROSS TWO GOPHERS TODAY, IN THE 
WOOD. THEY ARE VERY GOOD FOOD. TASTING 
LIKE CHICKEN, VEAL AND FISH, BUT THE MUS- 
CLES PERSIST IN SQUIRMING AND JUMPING 
ABOUT IN THE FRYING-PAN, AND I KNEW BEV- 
ERLY WOULD BE HORRIFIED. ANY WAY I COULD 
NEVER KILL ONE OF THE HARMLESS THINGS UN- 
LESS DRIVEN TO IT BY HUNGER. 

“THEN WE HAVE WILD TURKEY IN OUR 
WOODS, AND OPOSSUMS, CRAYFISH AND FISH 
OF EVERY KIND, SEVERAL KINDS OF BIVALVES, 
CONCHS WHICH CAN BE PREPARED LIKE OYS- 
TERS, AND OVER AT THE BEACH, LAST SUMMER. 
I SAW A GREAT LOGGER-HEAD TURTLE CRAWL 
OUT OF THE SEA, AND DEPOSIT OVER ONE HUN- 
DRED AND FIFTY EGGS IN THE SAND. THE 
WHITES OF TURTLE EGGS DO NOT COAGULATE, 
AND WE ONLY EAT THE YOLKS.^^ 

THEN PETER ASKED CAROL HOW SHE LIKED 
THE PALMETTO CABBAGE. 

“I REALLY LIKE IT, IT SEEMS TO TASTE LIKE 
SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS OF VEGETABLES, 
AS SO MANY FLORIDA PRODUCTS DO. THE GUAVA 
TASTES LIKE PEACHES AND STRAWBERRIES, 
YOU KNOW,’^ SAID CAROL. 

THEN PETER SERVED THE SALAD. IT WAS 
PLEASANTLY COLD, AND HE PLACED TWO OF 
THE EGG BALLS ON EACH PORTION, AND POURED 
MAYONNAISE OVER IT, AND THEY ALL PRO- 
NOUNCED IT PERFECT. BEVERLY ATE HERS 
WITH ESPECIAL AVIDITY, AND DEMANDED TO 
KNOW WHAT KIND OF EGG BALLS IT W AS GAR- 
NISHED WITH. SHE SAID THEY WERE SIMPLY 
DELICIOUS. 

“WHEN YOU GET HOME IN NEW YORK/^ 
LAUGHED PETER, “PLL WRITE AND TELL YOU 


80 


WHAT KIND THEY ARE/» SO SHE HAD TO BE 
CONTENT WITH THIS. 

THEN CAME THE PUDDING, AND IT WAS SO 
DAINTY AND SO GOOD THAT THEY GAVE PETER 
A RISING VOTE OF APPRECIATION. 

‘T REGRET, SAID PETER, “THAT I AM UN- 
ABLE TO OFFER YOU WILD HONEY. AND WE 
HAVE BERRIES, TOO, OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES, 
PRICKLY PEARS, AND OTHER EDIBLE CACTI. 
THEN THERE ARE MANY WILD “GREENS” THAT 
ARE VERY APPETIZING. THREE KINDS OF COF- 
FEE, AND A VANILLA BEAN. SO AFTER ALL THIS, 
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DADE COUNTY’S LARD- 
ER? DO YOU THINK CALIFORNIA CAN LINE UP 
WITH IT? AND NOW WE MUST HAVE OUR TEA.” 

THEN HE PUT THE LEAVES OF THE PLANT 
HE HAD BROUGHT FROM THE BANK OF THE 
CREEK INTO BOILING WATER, COVERED IT A 
MINUTE, THEN POURED IT, AND SERVED EACH 
CUP WITH A BIT OF WILD LIME, AND CANE 
SUGAR. 

THEY PRAISED PETER UNTIL HE BLUSHED, 
AND PAID HIM SO MUCH HOMAGE THAT HE SET 
THEM ALL TO WASHING DISHES IN A HURRY. 

THEN WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED PACKING 
AWAY EVERYTHING, AND CAREFULLY PUT OUT 
THE LAST GLOWING EMBER, AS ALL GOOD CAMP- 
ERS DO, THEY DROVE HOME, LOOKING BACK FOR 
A LAST GLIMPSE OF THE LITTLE FERNY SPRING, 
AND THE WANDERING CREEK. 

(NOTE — PERHAPS YOU HAVE ALREADY 
GUESSED THAT THEY WERE ALLIGATOR EGGS.) 


81 


CHAPTER TWELVE 


IN WHICH ROBERT AINSLEY VISITS A SEMINOLE 
INDIAN CAMP. 


PETER HAD PROMISED THAT ROBERT SHOULD 
HAVE A DAY ALONG THE TA-MIAMI TRAIL, BUT 
INSTEAD HE CHANGED IT TO A NIGHT EXCUR- 
SION. AND ONLY HE AND ROBERT WENT, LEAV- 
ING MIAMI LATE ONE AFTERNOON. 

THEY DROVE FOR FIFTEEN MILES ALONG 
THE CANAL, THEN STOPPED FOR AN HOUR^S 
FISHING. THEY CAUGHT FRESH WATER PERCH, 
BRIM, BLACK BASS, SHINERS AND GAR AS FAST 
AS THEY COULD CAST. 

PETER SHOWED ROBERT HOW THE HEAD OF 
THE GAR, SOMETIMES CALLED THE NEEDLE 
FISH, MOVES UNRESTRICTED BY ITS BODY, AND 
HOW SINGULARLY ITS SCALES JOINED, AND HE 
SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD THAT SPARKS MIGHT 
BE STRUCK FROM ITS SCALES BY STEEL, SO 
FLINTY WERE THEY. 

PETER KILLED SEVERAL LARGE WATER 
MOCCASINS, WHICH ARE SO NUMEROUS IN THE 
CANAL, AND SO POISONOUS. 

THE SCENE IN THE GLADES THAT NIGHT WAS 
ONE OF WONDROUS BEAUTY. THE MOON ROSE 
EARLY, LIKE A GOLDEN SHIP AMONG A SHOAL 
OF SNOW-COVERED ISLANDS. IT CHANGED THE 
LAND INTO A SILVER CARPET, AND THE CANAL 
INTO A RIBBON OF SHINING GOLD. UNDER THE 
WEIRD RADIANCE OBJECTS BECAME STRANGE 


82 


MYSTERIOUS SHAPES, AND NOW AND THEN A 
HERON OR HUGE CRANE WOULD RISE WITH A 
STARTLED CRY FROM THE ROAD BESIDE THE 
CAR, THEIR WINGS LOOKING LIKE SNOWY 
PHANTOMS. 

TWENTY-FIVE MILES FROM MIAMI PETER 
OVERTOOK FIVE SEMINOLES, AND THEY TOLD 
HIM THAT THEIR CAMP WAS JUST BEYOND, AND 
UTTERED GRUFF PERMISSION WHEN HE ASKED 
IF HE AND ROBERT MIGHT SHARE IT WITH THEM 
FOR THE NIGHT. ‘‘HO, HO,” THEY SAID, MEANING 
“YES, YES.” 

THIS WAS TURNING OUT TO BE A GREAT AD- 
VENTURE FOR ROBERT, AND WHAT HE HAD 
SO ARDENTLY DESIRED. THERE WAS A GREAT 
FIRE BURNING BRIGHTLY IN THE CENTER OF THE 
INDIAN CAMP, AND A SQUAW WAS BUSY STIR- 
RING A HUGE POT OF SOFKA, WHICH WAS A STEW 
CONTAINING SO MANY INGREDIENTS THAT, IN- 
DEED, IT TOOK COURAGE TO EAT IT, BUT IT WAS 
STEAMING HOT. THE NIGHT WAS COOL, SO ROB- 
ERT ACCEPTED WITH A SMILE A LADLE-FULL 
OF IT, WHILE PETER MADE THE INDIANS, IN 
TURN ACCEPT SOME OF THE FOOD HE HAD 
BROUGHT. 

AFTER THEY HAD EATEN THEY ALL LAY 
AROUND THE SPARKLING FIRE AND SMOKED. 
ROBERT LAY WITH HIS FACE TURNED TOWARD 
THE SKY. IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT THE WORLD 
MUST END AT CAMP’S EDGE, FOR THE SKY SEEM- 
ED TO FOLD DOWN AROUND THEM, AND THE 
STARS TO CROWD EVER NEARER, AS THOUGH TO 
LAUGH AND LISTEN. 

QUITE NEAR A WHIP-POOR-WILL KEPT CALL- 
ING TO HIS MATE, AND OUT OF THE SHADOWS 
CAME HER DOLEFUL, WEIRD REPLY. AND ONCE 
A WILD-CAT SCREAMED, AND OFTEN CAME THE 
HOOTING OF OWLS, OR THE CRY OF SOME SMALL 
ANIMAL. 

ROBERT WORE A PAIR OF MILITARY HIGH- 


TOPPED BOOTS, AND THESE THE INDIANS WERE 
MUCH INTERESTED IN. 

“HOW MUCH YOU BUY?^* ASKED ONE OLD 
BRAVE. 

“FORTY DOLLARS,^’ ANSWERED ROBERT. 

THE OLD FELLOW^S EXPRESSION DENOTED 
POLITE SURPRISE, AND RISING, HE WENT TO HIS 
CACHE IN THE BUSHES, AND RETURNED WITH A 
PAIR OF ARMY SHOES. THESE HE PROUDLY EX- 
HIBITED, SAYING: 

“ME BUY RODDY BURDINE ONE DOLL.” THEN 
HE HUNG THEM CAREFULLY ABOUT HIS NECK, 
AND DISPLAYED A GAUDY PURPLE CRAVAT. 
“ME BUY ONE DOLL, TOO,” HE SAID. 

ROBERT TRIED TO PERSUADE HIM TO EX- 
CHANGE THE ASTONISHING PIECE OF SILK FOR 
HIS SOBER BLACK ONE, WHICH THE SEMINOLE 
REFUSED TO DO, WITH GREAT DISDAIN. AND HE 
ALSO HUNG THE CRAVAT ABOUT HIS NECK 
WHERE IT SHARED HONOURS WITH THE SHOES 
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING. 

ALMOST EVERY HALF HOUR HE WOULD 
GENTLY ASK OF ROBERT, INDICATING HIS OFFI- 
CER'S BOOTS: “HOW MUCH YOU BUY?” AND AT 
ROBERTS REPLY, “FORTY DOLLARS,” HIS EX- 
PRESSION BECAME QUITE AGGRIEVED, FOR HE 
SEEMED TO THINK THERE MUST BE SOME MIS- 
TAKE. 

ROBERT TOLD BEVERLY AFTERWARD, THAT 
THE OLD CHAP WAS SO SURE THAT HE WAS LY- 
ING ABOUT THE PRICE OF HIS BOOTS, THAT HE 
WAKENED HIM TWICE DURING THE NIGHT, TO 
ASK: “HOW MUCH YOU BUY?” 

AND INDEED, THAT WAS THE LAST THING 
ROBERT HEARD, IN THE MORNING, AS THE OLD 
INDIAN POINTED WITH A HARASSED EXPRES- 
SION TO ROBERTAS BOOTS, AND THEN TO HIS 
OWN: “HOW MUCH YOU BUY, ME BUY RODDY 
BURDINE ONE DOLL.” ABOVE ALL OTHER 
THINGS THE SEMINOLE HATES A LIE, AND ROB- 


84 


ERT REALLY FELT QUITE EMBARASSED OVER 
THE MATTER. HE SAID AFTERWARD IF HE HAD 
EVER KNOWN SUCH A THING MIGHT HAPPEN HE 
SHOULD HAVE PRESERVED A RECEIPT FOR THE 
BOOTS, AND SO MAINTAINED HIS INTEGRITY. 

ONE INDIAN HAD BEEN ILL, AND HE SAID 
THAT THE MEDICINE MAN OF THE TRIBE WAS 
IN THE BIG CYPRESS, SO HE HAD BOUGHT A BOT- 
TLE OF MEDICINE IN MIAMI AND HE REQUESTED 
ROBERT TO READ THE DIRECTIONS TO HIM, AF- 
TERWARD BEGGING PETER TO READ THEM. 
ROBERT SAID THAT HE NEVER BEFORE HAD 
FELT AS THOUGH THE PRESIDENCY OF THE AN- 
NANIAS CLUB MIGHT BE ASCRIBED TO HIM. 

ONE SEMINOLE HAD A PECULIAR MUSICAL 
INSTRUMENT, AND THIS ROBERT INDUCED HIM 
TO SELL, FOR HE WISHED TO CARRY AWAY SOME 
SOUVENIR OF THE NIGHT. 

THIS INSTRUMENT WAS MADE FROM THE 
SHELL OF A LARGE TURTLE, AND OVER THE 
OPEN PART WAS STRETCHED, TIGHTLY, A SKIN, 
AND INSIDE WERE SEVERAL LARGE BERRIES, SO 
THAT IT MADE A NOISE LIKE A LARGE RATTLE. 

THIS, THE INDIAN SAID, WAS USED AT MOON 
DANCES. AND PETER SAID THAT IT WAS, UN- 
DOUBTEDLY, THE SAME KIND OF RATTLE THAT 
DICKENSON SPOKE OF SEEING THEM USE IN SIX- 
TEEN NINETY-SIX. FOR INDIAN TRIBAL CUS- 
TOMS NEVER CHANGE UNLESS FROM FORCE OF 
NECESSITY. 

THEY WERE ALL UP LONG BEFORE THE 
SUN ROSE THE NEXT MORNING, AND THEY 
PACKED THEIR CAMPING OUTFIT IN THE LONG 
GRACEFUL DUGOUT, AND WENDED THEIR WAY 
INTO THE BIG CYPRESS SWAMP, AND ROBERT 
SAID, AS HE WATCHED THEM OUT OF SIGHT: 

‘‘JUST THIS NIGHT, ALONE, WAS WORTH THE 
LONG TRIP DOWN HERE, OLD MAN, BUT REALLY, 
I WISH I KNEW JUST WHAT WAS IN THAT STEW.” 

PETER LAUGHED, “YOU HAVE PROBABLY 

85 


EATEN ALLIGATOR, BOBBY, MAYBE DOG, AND 
RATTLE SNAKE, TOO, V^O SHALL SAY?” 

THE REST OF THE DAY WAS SPENT CANOE- 
ING ON ARCH CREEK. ROBERT SAID THAT THIS 
PICTURESQUE STREAM WAS EXACTLY LIKE THE 
PICTURE HE HAD MADE IN HIS IMAGINATION OF 
FLORIDA, WHEN HE WAS A BOY. 

HE SAID THAT ALL IT NEEDED WERE MON- 
KEYS, BOA-CONSTRICTORS, TIGERS AND PAR- 
ROTS, PEERING OUT FROM AMONG THE MAN- 
GROVE ROOTS. 

PETER TOLD HIM THAT THERE WERE THREE 
KINDS OF MANGROVE TREES, RED, BLACK AND 
WHITE, HE SAID THAT WHEN USED FOR FUEL 
THE WOOD MADE NO SMOKE, AND HE SAID, TOO, 
THAT THE WOOD MADE BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE, 
AND WAS USED ALSO FOR MUSICAL INSTRU- 
MENTS. 

HERE ALONG THE CREEK WERE GREAT 
SHELVES AND MAGNIFICENT BOULDERS OF 
ROCK, AND ROBERT SAW ALLIGATORS SEVEN 
FEET LONG AND GREAT WATER TURTLES. 

BEVERLY NEVER GREW TIRED OF THE 
RIVER, SHE SAID THAT IT WAS THE ONLY 
SLEEPY, LAZY PLACE IN ALL MIAMI. AND LYING 
DROWSILY IN THE LITTLE LAUNCH SHE WOULD 
MEDITATE AND DRAW INFERENCES ON THE HAB- 
ITANTS OF THE MYRIADS OF HOUSE-BOATS 
FRINGING THE RIVER, AND PETER INSISTED 
THAT SHE JUDGED THEM ALL BY THE NAME OF 
THE BOAT THEY LIVED IN. THIS, HE SAID, WAS 
BIASED AND UNJUST. BUT HE COULD NEVER 
CHANGE HER CONVICTIONS. 

SHE WOULD HEAP THE LAUNCH WITH SHIN- 
ING-LEAVED, RED-BERRIED VINES, WATER LIL- 
IES AND SCARLET-BLOSSOMED AIR PINES, THAT 
ROBERT CAUGHT DOWN FROM THE LOWERING 
MANGROVES, AND ALWAYS, FROM THE AIR- 
PINES CAME HOPPING, WONDERINGLY, TINY 
GREEN TOADS, WHICH BLINKED AT BEVERLY 


86 


FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LAUNCH, UNTIL SHE 
CAUGHT THEM UP, GINGERLY, AND TOSSED THEM 
BACK ON SHORE. 

SOMETIMES A GREAT SEA COW WOULD SWIRL 
ABOUT CLOSE TO THE BOAT, AND OFTEN THEY 
SAW WILD DUCKS AND GREAT ALLIGATORS, AND 
SO MANY LOVELY BIRDS. 

‘THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND EXTRAORDL 
NARY SIGHT I EVER SAW, HERE ON THE RIVER,^^ 
SAID PETER, “WAS ONCE, ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO, 
WHEN I SAW A WHOLE SCHOOL OF TARPON 
RIGHT IN THIS VERY SPOT. THEY WERE PLAY- 
ING ABOUT AND THE SILVERY SHEEN AND FLASH 
OF THE GREAT FISHES IN THE SUNSHINE WAS 
SOMETHING I CAN NEVER FORGET.’’ 

WHENEVER THEY PASSED A DUGOUT WITH 
ITS GAYLY DRESSED OCCUPANTS BEVERLY AL- 
WAYS WAVED AT THE BRIGHT-EYED PAPOOSES, 
AND INVARIABLY WONDERED JUST WHAT WAS 
IN THE MYSTERIOUS BUNDLES BOUND SO TIGHT- 
LY WITH THONGS. 

AND SO THE ENCHANTING DAYS WENT 
SWIFTLY BY, UNTIL AT LAST ROBERT AINSLEY 
SAID THAT HE COULD ONLY PLAY AROUND A 
LITTLE LONGER, AND MUST THEN GO BACK TO 
HIS OFFICE IN NEW YORK. 


87 


CHAPTER THIRTEEN 


IN WHICH WE SAY GOODBYE TO PETER PRIM- 
ROSE AND THE STORY. 


CAME AT LAST A DAY WHEN THE BLUE SE- 
DAN DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE LITTLE-CHURCH- 
AROUND-THE-CORNER, IN BUENA VISTA. A TINY, 
WISTFUL LITTLE CHURCH SET SO BEAUTIFULLY 
WITH ITS NAVE OF OLEANDERS UNDERS ITS SEN- 
TINEL PINES. 

HERE A FEW WORDS WERE SPOKEN, AND, 
WHEN THEY WERE FINISHED, TflERE WAS NO 
LONGER A BEVERLY BAISDEN, BUT RATHER A 
BLUSHING, STARRY-EYED BEVERLY AINSLEY. 

THEN THEY DROVE CAROL TO THE STATION, 
WHERE SHE BOARDED A TRAIN TO PALM BEACH, 
TO VISIT AN OLD FRIEND FOR TWO WEEKS. 

AND THEN FOR THE LAST TIME PETER DROVE 
THE OTHER TWO ACROSS BEVERLY^S BEAUTIFUL 
PROMENADE, THE CAUSEWAY, TO THE HABANA 
STEAMSHIP DOCK, AND SO THEY SAILED AWAY 
TO CUBA, THE VERY HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE 
WHOLE WORLD, LEAVING PETER STANDING 
ALONE. 

AND THERE HE STOOD LOOKING AFTER THE 
BOAT UNTIL HE COULD NO LONGER SEE THE 
FLUTTER OF BEVERLY^S WHITE VEIL, OR THE 
FRIENDLY WAVE OF HER HAND. 

THEN HE TURNED AWAY WITH A SMILE AND 
A SIGH, AND HE SAID TO HIMSELF, IN HIS OWN 
WHIMSICAL FASHION: 

“WELL, PETER PRIMROSE, YOUWE DONE 
DADE COUNTY AND MIAMI PROUD, IF YOU DO 
SAY IT, AS SHOULDN^T.’^ 

AND THAT’S ALL THERE IS OF THE STORY. 

THERE ISN’T ANY MORE. 










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